The good news on Friday was that the Cavaliers didn’t suffer the third-quarter blues. The bad news was that they went into it down by 25.
The Wine & Gold got back on the road, but the results weren’t much different than those on the homestand – dropping their ninth straight, a 110-90 decision on Friday night in Dallas.
J.B. Bickerstaff’s shorthanded squad actually outscored Dallas, 53-48, after intermission. But Cleveland also scored just 19 and 18 points in the opening two periods – shooting 31 percent from the floor before the break.
The red-hot Mavericks – now winners of 9 of their last 12 – came into Friday’s contest with some serious postseason implications on the line – locked in a three-way fight with the Lakers and Blazers for what’s turned out to be the coveted 6th seed out West.