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Mavs, Cavs clash in Cleveland

Jan 4, 2015 - 2:30 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Dallas Mavericks will take a four-game winning streak into a Sunday matinee against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena.

The Mavs haven't lost since a road setback to the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 23. They share the longest current winning streak in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks and Detroit Pistons.

Dallas started a three-game road trip with an emotional 119-101 victory in Boston over the Celtics on Friday.

Rajon Rondo returned to Boston after eight-plus seasons, an NBA title and four All-Star appearances and torched his former team. He scored a season-high 29 points to lead the Mavs.

Rondo cemented his legacy as one of the great point guards in Celtics history during his time there. He played a key role in Boston's NBA Championship in 2008 and finished fourth in franchise history in assists and third in steals after being dealt to Dallas in a four-player swap on Dec. 18.

In between the first and second quarters, a montage shown on the video board at TD Garden was followed by a prolonged standing ovation that nearly brought the four-time All-Star to tears.

"I just tried to stay focused," said Rondo. "I just wanted to stay locked in and listen to the coaches in the huddle, then go out and say thank you to the fans. I wasn't too keyed in on the video. I watched a couple glimpses, but I was trying to stay focused."

The touching tribute came after Rondo hung 15 first-quarter points on his former team, including three 3-pointers and a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor. His third triple came just moments before the opening period came to a close with Dallas in front, 31-17.

Monta Ellis scored 22 points and Tyson Chandler grabbed 16 rebounds for the Mavericks, who are 5-2 since the Rondo trade. Dirk Nowitzki chipped in 17, followed by Chandler Parsons, who added 13 points, and Devin Harris, who managed 10 off the bench.

The Mavs will travel to Brooklyn to face the Nets on Monday.

The Cavaliers press on without LeBron James, who will sit two weeks with a strained left knee and a strained lower back. They halted a three-game slide on Friday with a 91-87 victory at Time Warner Cable Arena over the Charlotte Hornets.

Kevin Love led Cleveland with 27 points and Kyrie Irving supplied 23.

"It's an opportunity to lead," Love said. "With LeBron out I'll have more of a chance to show what I can do and try to help this team. There will be a number of different guys who will have to step up in his absence just because he brings so much to the table."

Dion Waiters had 17 points off the bench and Tristan Thompson deposited 14 points with 14 rebounds in the win.

The Cavs led by double digits to start the fourth quarter, but Charlotte made a game of things late. Irving made 1-of-2 from the foul line with less than two seconds on the clock to seal the victory.

The Cavaliers will play six of their next seven on the road following Sunday's tilt.

The Mavs have won four straight in this series and seven of the last eight. Dallas is 3-1 in its last four visits to Cleveland.