Sports
Cavaliers look to continue dominance against Mavericks
Mar 13, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) dribbles during the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images The Cleveland Cavaliers have rolled to seven straight wins over the Dallas Mavericks, including a 138-105 triumph Friday, fueled by a season-high tying 29 points from reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley.
Cleveland will try to extend the streak to eight Sunday when it welcomes Dallas for its only regular season visit to Northeast Ohio. The Mavericks haven’t beaten the Cavaliers since March 30, 2022.
“I feel like our pick-and-roll has gotten a lot better,” said Mobley, who made 12 of 15 shots. “We need to keep making our defense become our offense and keep getting in the paint.”
The Cavaliers’ last three wins over the Mavericks have been by a combined 88 points, while shooting better than 53% from the field in each victory.
Cleveland’s 33-point rout Friday matched its largest of the season and marked the seventh time it has scored at least 138 points.
“We talked about Mobley before the game and said we had to be physical with him,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. “And we weren’t.”
Donovan Mitchell had 24 points and eight assists and James Harden had 17 points with seven assists as the Cavaliers made 61.5% of their field goal attempts. They are 24-10 since Dec. 29 and within 1 1/2 games of the third-place New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference.
More important, Cleveland is 10-3 with the newly acquired Harden in the lineup. Kidd called him “one of the best players in the world.”
“I think we’re playing ahead of schedule with James,” Mitchell said.
The Mavericks are in an epic downward spiral, losing nine of their last 10 games and 19 of 22 since Jan. 24. Their season point differential of minus-5.1 is the sixth worst in the league.
NBA Rookie of the Year candidate Cooper Flagg had 25 points and five assists for the Mavericks after a slow start against the Cavaliers. Dwight Powell added 11 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.
“It’s tough because they knocked down a ton of shots,” Flagg said. “Give them credit.”
Undrafted point guard Ryan Nembhard had eight points and a game-high nine assists in his first start in more than two months. He has played in eight straight games since his two-way contract was converted to a full-time deal on Feb. 28.
“I love playing with Ryan,” Flagg said. “Even at the beginning of the year when he was on a two-way, we played really well together.”
Dallas will have its top post player back after Daniel Gafford was given Friday off following his 22-point, 14-rebound performance in a road victory against the Memphis Grizzlies one night earlier. It was the Mavericks’ only win since Feb. 25.
Cleveland could get a double dose of good injury news as center Jarrett Allen (right knee tendinitis) is questionable to return from a four-game absence and swingman Max Strus (left foot surgery) may make his season debut.
The Cavaliers have one of the deepest teams in the league since adding Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis from the Sacramento Kings, along with Harden.
“When they get Allen back, I think they’re a contender and they can come out of the East,” Kidd said. “With Harden playing the way he is, we couldn’t keep Mitchell out of the paint. That’s a tough matchup.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Mathieu Choiniere's brace propels LAFC past St. Louis City SC
Aug 16, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Los Angeles FC midfielder Mathieu Choiniere (66) reacts after scoring a goal against the New England Revolution during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images Mathieu Choiniere’s second-half brace lifted Los Angeles FC to a 2-0 victory over visiting St. Louis City SC on Saturday night.
Hugo Lloris made four saves for his fourth clean sheet as LAFC (4-0-0, 12 points) improved to 5-0-2 in seven all-time MLS matches against St. Louis.
Roman Burki made three saves for St. Louis (0-3-1, 1 point), which has gone three matches without a goal.
Choiniere put LAFC up 1-0 in the 73rd minute, putting his strike between the legs of a St. Louis defender and past a diving Burki.
The Canadian midfielder struck again eight minutes later, putting his curling, right-footed strike past an outstretched Burki.
Prior to Choiniere’s brace, St. Louis had a couple of glorious chances to get on the board.
In the 60th minute, off a LAFC turnover, Marcel Hartel put his right-footed strike over the bar.
Then, four minutes later, off a Hartel corner, Sergio Cordova’s header missed just right of the goal.
The two sides split the first half possession time, and each had a shot on target in a scoreless opening 45 minutes of action.
LAFC’s first quality chance came early as Denis Bouanga, in the area, sailed his strike over the bar in the opening minute.
St. Louis thought it opened the scoring in the 14th minute off a Hartel free kick, which found the back of the net, but a foul on Chris Durkin negated the goal.
Lloris delivered a key save in the 35th minute off Cedric Teuchert’s right-footed strike from just left of the goal.
With five minutes remaining in the opening 45, Nathan Ordaz hit the right post from the middle of the area.
Saturday was the first of two meetings between the clubs this season. LAFC visits St. Louis on May 13.
Both clubs return to MLS action next Saturday — LAFC visits Austin, while St. Louis entertains New England.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Knights dominate Blackhawks behind efforts from Pavel Dorofeyev, Adin Hill
Mar 14, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) celebrates with right wing Mark Stone (61) after scoring a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Pavel Dorofeyev scored two goals and had an assist, and Adin Hill made 21 saves for his first shutout of the season as the Vegas Golden Knights moved into first place in the Pacific Division with a 4-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
It was the second straight game of two goals and three points for Dorofeyev. Mark Stone and Mitch Marner each had two assists, and Rasmus Andersson and Keegan Kolesar also scored goals for Vegas, which leapfrogged Anaheim, a 2-0 loser at Ottawa earlier Saturday, into the top spot in the Pacific Division.
It was the 12th career shutout for Hill as the Golden Knights improved to 10-2-1 all-time against Chicago at T-Mobile Arena.
Spencer Knight finished with 28 saves for the Blackhawks, who had a four-game road point streak (2-0-2) snapped.
Vegas scored three times on four shots in the span of 3:27 midway through the first period to take a 3-0 lead.
Dorofeyev started the scoring with a power-play goal at the 8:33 mark, roofing a one-timer from the middle of the right circle past Knight’s glove side.
Andersson made it 2-0 with his 12th goal, a career high. Noah Hanifin picked up the primary assist, zipping a pass from the left corner to Andersson alone in the right circle, where he snapped a wrist shot inside the right post.
Kolesar, stationed in front of the crease, followed 25 seconds later, deflecting Jeremy Lauzon’s shot from the left point over Knight’s left pad.
Vegas increased the lead to 4-0 midway through the second period on another power-play goal by Dorofeyev, who swept in a rebound of a Stone shot into a wide-open right side of the net for his 34th goal this season.
Chicago appeared to get on the board 37 seconds into the third period on a long slap shot by Artyom Levshunov from the right point. But Vegas successfully challenged that the score came after a missed stoppage on a hand pass from Ryan Greene to Connor Bedard.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Bobby McMann collects 3 points in delayed debut, Kraken beat Canucks
Mar 14, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Seattle Kraken defenseman Ryker Evans (41) stick checks Vancouver Canucks forward Drew O’Connor (18) in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images Bobby McMann scored twice and had an assist in his debut for his new team as the Seattle Kraken snapped a four-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory against the host Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.
Matty Beniers had a goal and two assists and Jordan Eberle added three assists with McMann on the No. 1 line.
Jared McCann and Jamie Oleksiak also scored and Brandon Montour had two assists for the Kraken, who remained a point behind San Jose in the chase for the Western Conference’s second and final wild-card playoff berth. Goaltender Philipp Grubauer made 32 saves.
Evander Kane and Marco Rossi scored for the league-worst Canucks, who dropped to 7-21-5 at home this season. Nikita Tolopilo stopped 28 of 33 shots.
McMann, acquired from Toronto at the March 6 trade deadline, had to sit out three straight games while awaiting approval of his visa paperwork.
McMann broke a 1-1 tie on the power play at 19:10 of the first period. His wrist shot from just below the left faceoff dot snuck between Tolopilo’s pads and trickled over the goal line.
McMann scored his 21st goal of the season, surpassing his career high set in 2024-25, on a 3-on-2 rush at 4:14 of the third. Beniers sent the puck to Eberle on the right wing and his cross-slot pass found McMann for a tip-in at the far post to make it 4-1.
The Kraken opened the scoring at 4:12 of the first as McCann snapped a 10-game goalless drought. Montour skated the puck down the right wing and attempted a shot from the corner. Tolopilo made the save, but the rebound kicked right back to Montour, who went behind the net and spotted McCann alone in the slot for a one-timer.
Kane tied the score at 11:42 of the period on a breakaway. Kane deked Grubauer and lifted a backhander into the roof of the net.
Oleksiak tallied the lone goal of the second period at 5:06, joining the rush and taking a pass from Beniers in the high slot before beating Tolopilo with a wrist shot high to the glove side.
Beniers scored at 9:58 of the third, beating Tolopilo from the low slot after taking Eberle’s pass from behind the net.
Rossi capped the scoring at 19:40 of the third on a rebound after Grubauer stopped a breakaway.
The Kraken flew into Vancouver on Saturday morning after a snowstorm prevented them from traveling the previous day.
–Field Level Media
