If there was ever a game where the term “a tale of two halves” was a proper headline, it was Sunday afternoon’s Cavaliers 102-74 win over the Dallas Mavericks at Quicken Loans Arena. The win for the Cavs was their 12th straight, and continuing team record 60th of the season. The Mavs led by 15 at 35-20 at the 10:13 mark of the second quarter, only to see the Cavaliers dominate the rest of the way.

Led by a gutty performance from Joe Smith, who carried the Cavs with 7 second quarter points and 10 in the first half, the Cavs pulled to within two at 49-47 at the half, then came out and pounded the Mavs with a highlight filled third quarter. Cleveland got 15 from LeBron James in the third, and held Dallas to just 26 percent shooting and 11 points in outscoring them 30-11 in the quarter to go up 77-60 at the end of three.

They continued to pound Dallas in the fourth, outscoring them 25-14 and leading by as many as 30 for the eventual 28-point win. James led the way for the Cavs with a game-high 24 points. Mo Williams had 22, and Smith, who got a standing ovation for his efforts near the end of the game, had 12.

The reversal of fortune for the Cavs clinched them their 35th win of the season again just one loss (Lakers). They are now 60-13 on the season, and have won home games just about every way they could – close games, blowouts, overtime battles, the works.

For Dallas, it was a stunning loss for a team that is thinking about the post season. They were led by Dirk Nowitzki with 20 points, and Eric Dampier and Jason Terry each added 10. They were red hot in the first quarter, shooting 11-for-24 and holding the Cavs to 6-for-23 from the field for just 26 percent, but by the end of the loss, had shot just 36 percent themselves from the field.

The Cavs are now 20-2 since the All-Star break, and seem more than ready for a playoff run that if it does not stretch into mid-June, would be a huge letdown for the team and the city. They return to action against the once mighty Pistons Tuesday night at home at 7pm.