The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Dallas Mavericks 127-117 on Saturday night at Rocket Arena in a game featuring a special postgame reunion between former Brooklyn Nets teammates “Kyrie Irving and James Harden”, according to ClutchPoints.
Irving received a warm welcome in his return to Cleveland, while Harden sat out the contest due to travel disruptions that kept the team from leaving Miami after a previous matchup, per ClutchPoints.
The NBA captured the moment between the two guards and shared the interaction on social media.
The league wrote “Kyrie Irving x James Harden. Old teammates catching up in Cleveland!” in a post on X, as reported by ClutchPoints.
Harden and Irving previously teamed up with Kevin Durant in Brooklyn across the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, forming a notable trio that ultimately fell short of its full potential due to injuries, as noted by ClutchPoints.
On the court, the shorthanded Cavaliers secured the victory behind standout performances from Tyrese Proctor, who recorded a triple-double with 24 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, per ClutchPoints.
Mario Hezonja added 22 points, Meleek Thomas contributed 20 points, and Thomas Bryant posted a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds, according to ClutchPoints.
Irving led the Mavericks with 34 points, including 28 after halftime, but Dallas was unable to overcome an 18-point halftime deficit, per ClutchPoints.
Mavericks head coach Dusty May admitted after the game “that his team lacked Cleveland’s desire and determination”, according to ClutchPoints and NBA.com.
The loss dropped Dallas to 7-6 on the season, while Cleveland improved to 7-7, as stated by ClutchPoints.
The Cavaliers will look to continue their momentum when they host the Chicago Bulls on Monday, per ClutchPoints.