CLEVELAND — Just hours after the Dallas Mavericks traded their star player Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, the team took the court in Cleveland facing the Cleveland Cavaliers. With a slew of other players sidelined as well for the Mavs, the Cavs took full advantage—and made history along the way.
In the first quarter alone, the Cavaliers put up a whopping 50 points against Dallas. Led by Darius Garland's 13 first-quarter points, the Cavs were also aided by Donovan Mitchell's nine points, Evan Mobley's eight points and Sam Merrill's eight points off the bench.
The Cavs shot nine-for-11 from three—an impressive 81.8% from behind the arc in the first quarter.
Dallas—also down Kyrie Irving and not yet playing new additions Anthony Davis or Max Christie—ended the first quarter trailing 50-19 to the Cavs.
With their 50 first-quarter points, the Cavs set franchise history for most points scored in a single quarter.
They weren't done, however.
As the second quarter ensued, the pile-on continued. By the break in action, the Cavs had racked up 91 total first-half points.
You read that right.
In 24 minutes of play, the Cavs were just nine points shy of 100.
In the first half, Garland had upped his points total to 17, Mobley had 15, Mitchell had 12, and Merrill had 12 off the bench—a perfect four-for-four from three.
The first half set another franchise record. The Cavs' 91 points marked the most points scored in a half in team history.
By the end of the game, the Cavs had etched their name in the record books one more time.
As Merrill hit his ninth three-pointer of the game, the team broke the record for most threes scored in a single game, hitting 26 total threes against the Mavs on Sunday.
The game was what the team and fans like to refer to as a "Cavalanche" as the Cavs beat the Mavericks by 43 points, a 144-101 final.
