Final Score: Cavs take down Mavericks 111-104

It was closer than it maybe should have been, but the Cavaliers picked up a needed win against the Mavericks, a team that entered Saturday with a 2-11 record.

While the Cavaliers beat the Mavericks 111-104, it was a two-point game with 36.8 seconds left in the fourth quarter. The Cavs also trailed by 10 at one point in the first quarter — the second straight game where the team fell behind by double-digits in the first quarter and still made a game out of it. This was not an easy win for a Cavs team that, on paper, is much more talented than the Mavericks.

Kevin Love lead the way for the Cavs, scoring 29 points on 11-19 shooting and pulling down 15 rebounds. J.R. Smith added 17 points for the Cavs, including 10 first quarter points. LeBron James had 19 points and 11 rebounds, but never seemed to completely settle into a rhythm until the Cavs needed him late. Kyle Korver add 13 points of his own, all of which came in the fourth quarter.

Harrison Barnes lead Dallas with 23 points,. Mavs rookie Dennis Smith Jr. lead Dallas with 21 points, but he missed an open layup with 31.1 seconds to go that ended any chances the Mavericks had of pulling out a victory late. ‘

The Cavs next head to New York to take on the Knicks on Monday. Tipoff for that game is at 7:30 p.m.