Cavs win ninth in a row, top Dallas 134-122

DALLAS (AP) — Evan Mobley had 34 points and 10 rebounds as the Cleveland Cavaliers ran their winning streak to nine games by beating the short-handed Dallas Mavericks 134-122 on Friday. The NBA-leading Cavs improved to 30-4, swept a four-game Western Conference road trip and are now 10-0 against the West. All nine wins in the streak have been by double digits. The Mavericks played without both of their All-Star guards, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Irving missed the game because of illness while Doncic has been sidelined since suffering a calf strain during the Mavericks' Christmas Day loss to Minnesota. Caris LeVert scored 17 off the bench for Cleveland. Quentin Grimes scored 26 points — 20 in the third period — to lead the Mavericks, who have lost four straight to match a season long losing streak. Jaden Hardy added 17 off the bench and Klay Thompson scored 16, all in the first half. The Cavaliers used a 20-point run to go from a 21-17 deficit late in the first period to a 37-21 lead early in the second. Their largest lead was 27 points. TakeawaysCavaliers: Six players have averaged double figures in scoring this season. They had seven in this game. Mavericks: The defending West champions went into Christmas Day 4 1/2 games behind first-place Oklahoma City and now trail by 9 1/2. Key momentBack-to-back 3s by Thompson pulled the Mavericks within 64-53 with 44 seconds left in the half. But the Cavaliers closed with five straight points, LeVert getting a friendly bounce on a left-corner 3 with four seconds left, to lead 69-53 at halftime. Key statThe Cavaliers outscored the Mavericks 18-0 in first-half turnover points and matched a season low with eight overall, two in the first half. Up nextThe Cavaliers will host the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. The Mavericks visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday.