There are only a handful of games left in the season for the Cleveland Cavaliers as tonight they head on the road to take on the Dallas Mavericks. Cleveland has lost eight in a row and Dallas has struggled this season. This should prove to be an interesting matchup.

How to watch

Tipoff is at 8:30 p.m. Tune in on Bally Sports Ohio or NBA League Pass.

Starting Lineups

Cavaliers: Collin Sexton / Cedi Osman / Isaac Okoro / Kevin Love / Jarrett Allen

Mavericks: Luka Doncic / Josh Richardson / Tim Hardaway Jr. / Dorian Finney-Smith / Willie Cauley-Stein

Injuries

Cavaliers: Darius Garland (OUT - left ankle sprain), Matthew Dellavedova (OUT - neck), Lamar Stevens (OUT - concussion), Taurean Prince (OUT - ankle surgery), Dylan Windler (OUT - knee surgery), Larry Nance Jr. (OUT - right thumb fracture)

Mavericks: Maxi Kleber (OUT - right Achilles soreness), Kristaps Porzingis (OUT - right knee soreness), Tyrell Terry (OUT - personal reasons)

Things to look for

Collin Sexton vs. Luka Doncic: To be clear, I don’t hate Collin Sexton. I believe he has been miscast. That’s not his fault.

But, I do think about what could have been if the Cavs were able to take Luka Doncic in the 2018 NBA Draft.

For those of you who don’t remember, the Cavs lost a game to the Brooklyn Nets where LeBron James quit and Spencer Dinwiddie went nuclear.

That loss was the difference-maker in the Cavs being able to pick Sexton or Doncic.

I sometimes lie awake at night wondering what could’ve been.

Oh well.

Lottery implications: The Cavs have a good chance to fall to the third-worst record in the NBA if they do lose to Dallas. With that, Cleveland would have the best-possible odds for the first overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Even after being eliminated from the playoffs these games still have meaning.