DALLAS — LeBron James scored 27 points, and the Cleveland Cavaliers sustained their recent mastery of the Western Conference by slamming the Dallas Mavericks 127-94 Tuesday night at American Airlines Center.
The Cavaliers (41-25) won for the 12th time in their past 13 games against the deeper West, and they appear to be peaking with the regular season winding down. Cleveland is an NBA-best 22-5 since Jan. 15.
James has tortured the Mavericks since losing to Dallas in the 2011 NBA Finals. The four-time MVP forward knocked down 10 of 14 shots, including four of six 3-point attempts, and added eight assists and seven rebounds. He became the Cavaliers’ all-team leader in assists, surpassing Mark Price.
While James was the catalyst in another blowout win, he didn’t do it alone.
Point guard Kyrie Irving had 22 points, and shooting guard J.R. Smith drained five 3-pointers and scored 21 points. Power forward Kevin Love recorded his team-best 33rd double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Center Timofey Mozgov scored 17 as all five Cleveland starters finished in double figures.
The Cavaliers’ prowess from downtown helped turn a 14-point lead at the break into a blowout in the second half. Cleveland made 15 of 32 shots from beyond the arc, its 27th game with at least 10 3-pointers.
The Mavericks (41-25) opened a five-game homestand by continuing to slide. Dallas lost for the fifth time in seven games, falling behind the San Antonio Spurs into seventh place in the West.
The Cavaliers play at San Antonio on Thursday in another matchup that is personal to James. The Spurs overpowered Miami in the last year’s NBA Finals, ending James’ four-year stay with the Heat.
Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons scored a team-high 18 in his second game back since returning from an ankle injury. Shooting guard Monta Ellis had 17 points, and center Amar’e Stoudemire scored 15. Power forward Dirk Nowitzki (13 points) endured a miserable 3-of-10 showing from the floor.
After a costly turnover to end the first quarter, James opened up the second period with a pair of 3-pointers, and the Cavaliers took control. Irving and Smith heated up as well, and Cleveland rode into halftime up 67-53.
That Cavs trio combined for 49 points on 18-of-29 shooting in the half, 7-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Parsons had 10 of his 15 first-half points during a wild first quarter that ended with a Dallas flurry for a 31-26 lead. The Mavericks had spurts of 10-0 and 11-1, while the Cavs answered with 11-0 and 7-0 runs.
NOTES: Cavs F LeBron James broke the team’s all-time assist record with his first helper of the night. James ended the game with 4,214 assists. Mark Price held the old mark of 4,206. … The Mavericks had a video tribute planned for Cleveland F Shawn Marion, who played five years in Dallas and is retiring after this season. “I’ve had a wonderful career,” said Marion, a critical piece of Dallas’ 2011 championship team. “It’s not quite over yet, but I think it’s time.” … Marion (hip) didn’t play, but he could return by the end of Cleveland’s four-game road trip. … James and Cleveland F Kevin Love entered the game owning the top two scoring averages against Dallas since the 2011-12 season.