The Dallas Mavericks play host to the Cleveland Cavaliers at American Airlines Center on Wednesday.

The Cavaliers (17-11) looked like the best team in the NBA when they had a 10-3 record, but they've been average since then. They have a 7-8 record since that hot start, losing to the San Antonio Spurs in their most recent outing. A five-game winning streak at the end of that 10-3 start is what really killed them because Cleveland enters this matchup with a 9-5 record across their last 14 games. That's the club everyone expected to see, and it directly correlates with the health of this roster. Jarrett Allen and Donovan Mitchell both returned from injuries in that hot streak, and those two pair beautifully with Evan Mobley and Darius Garland. As long as this group stays healthy, they'll be a threat all season.

The Mavericks (14-13) shocked the NBA world with a Western Conference Finals appearance last season, but they've been an average team this season. They're just one game above .500, getting to that mark with a narrow win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday. That does give Dallas four wins in their last six games in total, and fans are hopeful it's the start of a lengthy run. Luka Doncic is doing everything possible to get this team going, averaging 32.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game. He's going to do that every night, and it'll be up to guys like Tim Hardaway Jr, Christian Wood and Spencer Dinwiddie to get them over the hump.

These teams played a back-to-back set last season, with the road team winning each outing. With that said, Dallas has won seven of their last eight games in this series.