There are but a few days left in the season for the Dallas Cowboys as they will soon be relegated to the crop of teams not playing in the annual playoff tournament. Such is life.

Before the regular season comes to a close though, there are several matters for both the team and league as a whole to tend to. One is the status of the Pro Bowl, even if the event itself has lost some luster over the last decade and change.

While the game itself is a bit of… something… the reality is that being selected to the Pro Bowl is a big deal. On Thursday morning it was announced that five members of the Cowboys were chosen: Micah Parsons, CeeDee Lamb, Tyler Smith, KaVontae Turpin and Brandon Aubrey.

From the mothership:

All five players made the Pro Bowl last season. Parsons is returning for the fourth time, making it all four seasons of his career so far. Lamb has also been selected for a fourth straight time and Turpin, Aubrey and Smith are returning for a second time.

Having 5 pro bowlers despite the season that they had early on is quite impressive from the Cowboys, although given there is a rising tide effect to playing for the team what with the platform that it provides. That isn’t to take away from the seasons that any of these players had as they are all very well-deserving.

The Cowboys shut CeeDee Lamb down for the season last week so it stands to reason that he may not participate in the Pro Bowl festivities. Obviously we will see about that.

Of these 5 it is easy to see the likes of Micah Parsons and KaVontae Turpin also getting All-Pro nods. Brandon Aubrey is a definite possibility there. It would not be crazy for CeeDee Lamb to garner a second-team selection. Perhaps that might be a bit too optimistic for Tyler Smith, though.

Congratulations to all 5 of the Pro Bowl players on the Dallas Cowboys.

Associated Press

Cleveland Cavaliers (29-4, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Dallas Mavericks (20-14, fifth in the Western Conference)

Dallas; Friday, 8:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Cleveland hits the road against Dallas looking to prolong its four-game road winning streak.

The Mavericks have gone 10-5 in home games. Dallas has a 2-4 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The Cavaliers are 12-3 on the road. Cleveland scores 122.4 points while outscoring opponents by 11.9 points per game.

The Mavericks’ 13.4 made 3-pointers per game this season are the same per game average that the Cavaliers allow. The Cavaliers score 11.0 more points per game (122.4) than the Mavericks allow (111.4).

TOP PERFORMERS: Kyrie Irving is averaging 24.3 points and 4.9 assists for the Mavericks.

Evan Mobley is averaging 18.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for the Cavaliers.

LAST 10 GAMES: Mavericks: 4-6, averaging 110.5 points, 41.3 rebounds, 22.9 assists, 8.4 steals and 6.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.4 points per game.

Cavaliers: 9-1, averaging 123.2 points, 45.2 rebounds, 30.4 assists, 8.9 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.3 points.

INJURIES: Mavericks: P.J. Washington Jr.: day to day (knee), Dante Exum: out (wrist), Luka Doncic: out (calf).

Cavaliers: Isaac Okoro: out (shoulder).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

The NBA trade deadline is nearly a nationally recognized holiday, at this point. It’s free agency 2.0, though it’s only trades. Player movement has defined the most recent era of NBA basketball, and it remains a key part of every season.

The Dallas Mavericks have benefitted from this, too. They were able to trade for Kyrie Irving, pairing him with franchise superstar Luka Doncic. That has led to an NBA Finals appearance. They are looking to emulate that success and added Klay Thompson to the squad this offseason — two high-profile moves that have built the roster.

With this trade deadline, the Mavericks can look to bolster their roster even further, equipping them for another potential deep playoff run. The New Orleans Pelicans will be a selling club with the amount of losses they’ve compiled already.

According to a recent report, Herb Jones could be on the Mavericks’ target list, though it’s unsure whether New Orleans will move him or not.

“The Mavericks have contemplated trying to add an impact perimeter defender before the Feb. 6 trade deadline,” The Athletic’s Christian Clark reported. “The New Orleans Pelicans’ Herb Jones, who last season was the only non-center to make the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team, is one player who fits that description. But there is little belief in NBA circles that the Pelicans will actually move him.”

The Mavericks adding an elite perimeter defender who is capable of knocking down 3-point shots at a high clip would make them incredibly scary heading into the postseason. It’d give them exactly what they need for a seven-game playoff series.

Still, Dallas’ main priority should be getting their core fully healthy first. They need to stay afloat while Doncic remains out indefinitely with an injury, though equipping him with even more talent for his return could be massive.

READ MORE: Five Questions Ahead of Mavericks-Rockets

Stick with MavericksGameday for more coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the NBA offseason. 

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