NBA: Doncic, Irving carry Mavs past Clippers to advance to second round

DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic had 28 points and 13 assists, Kyrie Irving scored 28 of his 30 points in a second-half surge and the Dallas Mavericks advanced to the second round of the playoffs with a 114-101 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.

Doncic pushed through another rough shooting night with his ailing right knee to do what the Slovenian superstar couldn't three years earlier — close out the Clippers in Dallas in Game 6 of a first-round series.

The fifth-seeded Mavericks beat the Clippers for the first time in three first-round tries over the past five seasons and will open the Western Conference semifinals at the top seed, Oklahoma City, on Tuesday night.

Paul George had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers, who won the first two times they played without Kawhi Leonard in the series but didn't have enough scoring punch in the last two he was sidelined by right knee inflammation.

James Harden had 16 points and 13 assists but was just 5 of 16 from the field and missed all six of his 3-pointers as LA was eliminated in the first round for the second consecutive season.

Irving, Doncic's co-star added at the trade deadline last year for the kind of playoff run the Mavs hope they just started, gave Dallas its biggest lead with a flashy four-point play when he hit a leaning 3-pointer as he was bumped by P.J. Tucker, and made the free throw for a 106-82 lead.

The Clippers answered with an 11-2 run to get within 13 but never seriously threatened a big comeback in the final minutes.

The Mavs broke a 52-52 halftime tie by outscoring the Clippers 35-20 in the third quarter — the same quarter that fueled the Game 5 win in Los Angeles for a chance to clinch — and pushed the lead to 20 early in the fourth.

Doncic, who also has dealt with illness in addition to a sore knee, started 0 of 7 from 3-point range to drop below 25% for the series but made his first try of the second half to start the third-quarter surge.

The NBA scoring champion was 9 of 26 from the field and just 1 of 10 from 3 while going 9 of 11 on free throws. Irving was 10 of 13 from the field after halftime.

Norman Powell scored 20 for the Clippers, and Ivica Zubac had 17 points and 11 rebounds.

P.J. Washington scored 14 points with some big 3-pointers for the Mavs, going 4 of 8 from deep, and Daniel Gafford had 13 points with several emphatic buckets down low.

Dallas' Maxi Kleber didn't return after spraining his right shoulder when he took a hard fall on a blocking foul against Amir Coffey on a drive in the first minute of the second quarter.

Kleber, whose 3-point shooting was a boost for Dallas in the series, returned to shoot free throws, making one of two before leaving at the next dead ball.

-Associated Press-

NBA: Haliburton hits winner as Pacers hold off Bucks in overtime, Mavs thump Clippers

LOS ANGELES -- Tyrese Haliburton drove for the game-winning basket as the Indiana Pacers held off a late Milwaukee charge to beat the Bucks 121-118 in overtime on Friday and take a 2-1 lead in their NBA Eastern Conference playoff series.

The Dallas Mavericks also won at home, cruising to a 101-90 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers for a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference set.

But a return to Phoenix provided no respite for Kevin Durant and the Suns, who were one defeat away from elimination after falling 126-109 to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In Indianapolis, Haliburton delivered a triple-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists to help the Pacers withstand a 42-point performance from Milwaukee forward Khris Middleton, who drilled a three-pointer to tie it with 2.3 seconds left in regulation and made another trey to knot it at 118-118 with eight seconds left in overtime.

With 1.6 seconds remaining in overtime, Haliburton took an inbound pass and split the Bucks' defense as he drove for a one-handed floater.

Fouled on the play, he made the free throw to cap the scoring. Middleton, playing through a sprained right ankle, was unable to work another three-point miracle as time expired.

"I just knew I was shooting it no matter what," Haliburton said.

"And I finally made a shot, added the Pacers star, who connected on just eight of his 22 attempts from the field. "I couldn't buy a bucket today, so I'm glad that one went in."

The Pacers escaped with the win in a game they led by 19 points in the first quarter and by 17 in the third.

With two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo still sidelined by a calf injury, the Bucks couldn't match Indiana's early pace.

An early injury scare saw Damian Lillard limp off with a sore knee briefly in the first quarter. He returned to score 19 of his 28 points in the second half before aggravating an Achilles tendon injury in late in regulation.

The Bucks took the lead for the first time on Lillard's three-pointer early in the fourth quarter, the lead changing hands six times in the fourth as they battled to overtime.

"Every possession is so valuable," Haliburton said. "You've got to dig in. The game's never over."

Myles Turner scored 29 points for the Pacers, who will try to stretch their lead when they host game four on Sunday.

In Phoenix, Anthony Edwards scored 36 points to lead a comprehensive Timberwolves team effort that included 19 points and 14 rebounds from Rudy Gobert and 18 points and 13 rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns.

Six players scored in double figures for the Timberwolves.

Bradley Beal led the Suns with 28 points. Durant scored 25 and Devin Booker added 23, but had no answer when the Timberwolves broke open a six-point game with a third-quarter scoring surge.

The Timberwolves have a 3-0 series lead for the first time in franchise history.

They'll try on Sunday to close out the Suns, and even though both teams are well aware that no NBA team has rallied from 0-3 down to win a series, Edwards said the Timberwolves would take nothing for granted.

"We can't look past the next game," he said.

- Dallas dominate -

In Dallas, NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic limped out early but returned to score 22 points with 10 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Mavericks in a testy clash with the Clippers.

Los Angeles' Russell Westbrook and P.J. Washington of Dallas were both ejected after a shoving match that started with Westbrook's hard foul on Doncic.

Westbrook received a double technical while Washington had a second tech to go with one he'd picked up after a verbal exchange with Terance Mann.

The Mavs were up by 16 points when the players were tossed midway through the fourth quarter.

The Clippers had sliced an 18-point deficit to six late in the third quarter, but Kyrie Irving, who had just two points until the final two minutes of the third period, scored 19 the rest of the way to help Dallas rebuild their lead.

"It's the will of the champion," Irving said of staying the course until his shots started falling. "Two points really doesn't matter -- all I care about is winning games."

James Harden and Norman Powell both scored 21 for the Clippers, but Harden had just seven points in the second half and the Mavs held Clippers star Paul George to seven points and Kawhi Leonard to nine.

In Friday's last game, Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns hosted the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Suns trying to avoid falling into an 0-3 hole after the Timberwolves won the first two games of their Western Conference series in Minneapolis.

No NBA team has rallied from an 0-3 deficit to win a playoff series.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Mavericks fined $750,000 after benching stars in Bulls loss

LOS ANGELES -- The Dallas Mavericks have been fined $750,000 fine after controversially fielding a weakened team in their loss to the Chicago Bulls earlier this month, the NBA said Friday.

The NBA said the Mavericks abrupt decision to hold out five key players in a game they had to win in order to have a chance of reaching the postseason represented "conduct detrimental to the league."

"The Dallas Mavericks' decision to restrict key players from fully participating in an elimination game last Friday against Chicago undermined the integrity of our sport," said Joe Dumars, NBA executive vice president and head of basketball operations.

"The Mavericks' actions failed our fans and our league."

The NBA said the Mavericks' decision was made to improve the franchise's chances of retaining a first round pick in the 2023 draft.

The Mavericks still owe a first-round pick to the New York Knicks as part of the trade for Kristaps Porzingis in 2019.

But if the NBA's draft lottery determines they have a top-10 selection, they don't have to give it up. A lower finish in the overall standings increases the odds of drawing a top-10 pick in the lottery.

"The Mavericks violated the league's player resting policy and demonstrated through actions and public statements the organization's desire to lose the game in order to improve the chances of keeping its first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft," the NBA said in a statement.

However the league said there was no evidence that the players who took to the court for the game were not playing to win.

Mavs coach Jason Kidd told reporters before the game that he had intended to field a full-strength side before being informed by billionaire owner Mark Cuban and the front office to rest Kyrie Irving, Tim Hardaway Jr. and key reserves Josh Green, Maxi Kleber and Christian Wood.

"We were going to play until told otherwise," Kidd said. "And today is the day that we've been told that we're going to do something different."

It is not the first time Dallas and Cuban have fallen afoul of the NBA over the issue of "tanking."

Cuban was fined $600,000 in 2018 after saying in a podcast that he had told players and coaches that "losing is our best option."

Agence France-Presse

NBA fines Doncic $35K for implying ref payoff for non-call

NEW YORK -- Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic was fined $35,000 by the NBA on Friday for making a gesture implying a payoff to a referee for a non-call against Golden State's Draymond Green.

The punishment for "directing an inappropriate and unprofessional gesture toward a game official" came for the Slovenian star's actions with 1.7 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of a 127-125 home loss on Wednesday to the reigning NBA champions.

Four-time NBA All-Star Doncic, 24, rubbed his left thumb and forefinger together in a "money" motion directed at an official.

Doncic ranks second in the NBA with 32.9 points a game and also averages 8.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.4 steals per contest for the Mavericks, who are 36-37 to rank eighth in the Western Conference.

The Mavs are equal in record with the Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans and one win shy of seventh-place Minnesota in the fight for positions in the play-in tournament.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Doncic scores 51 as Dallas' win streak reaches six

WASHINGTON -- Luka Doncic scored 51 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks to their sixth victory in a row while the Brooklyn Nets stretched their win streak to 11 on Saturday.

Doncic added nine assists, six rebounds, four steals and a blocked shot in a maestro performance for the Mavericks in a 126-125 victory at San Antonio.

"I'm exhausted," Doncic said. "Our defense wasn't great. At the end we got a couple stops. Overall we win the game and that's it."

The 23-year-old Slovenian guard sank two free throws with 4.1 seconds remaining for the last Dallas points, then grabbed a rebound after the Spurs' Tre Jones missed a tying free throw attempt with 2.1 seconds remaining to seal the Mavs' triumph.

It was the third 50-point effort in five games for NBA scoring leader Doncic, who was at a loss to explain his high-point nights of the season.

"I don't know," Doncic said. "Some games they are going to double (cover) me, some games they are going to let me run the pick and roll. I just accept the coverage and go from there."

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich joked that San Antonio's goal had been to keep Doncic to 50 points after he had 60 in a triple double on Tuesday in a Dallas victory.

Christian Wood, who added 25 points and seven rebounds for Dallas, marveled at what he sees as a Most Valuable Player-style effort.

"It's incredible," Wood said. "In my seven years in the league, I've never seen anybody do what he's able to do.

"He's on an incredible run. He's playing like an MVP, clearly one of the best players in the league."

Brooklyn's Kyrie Irving scored 28 points and Kevin Durant added 23 to spark the Nets to a 123-106 victory at Charlotte, extending their win streak to 11.

The Nets improved to 24-12 and moved into second place in the Eastern Conference, becoming only the second club this season to reach 24 wins.

LaMelo Ball had 23 points and 11 assists while Mason Plumlee added 22 points and 10 rebounds for Charlotte, which fell to 10-27.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Minnesota Timberwolves suffered their sixth straight defeat, a humbling 116-104 home loss to league-worst Detroit (10-29).

Bojan Bogdanovic scored 28 points to lead the Pistons while Anthony Edwards netted 30 in a losing cause.

- Triple double by Embiid -

Philadelphia's Joel Embiid achieved his fifth career triple double with 16 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in the 76ers' 115-96 triumph at Oklahoma City.

Tobias Harris led the Sixers with 23 points while Shake Milton added 18 and De'Anthony Melton had 17 points for Philadelphia.

Ja Morant scored 32 points and the host Memphis Grizzlies beat New Orleans 116-101. New Zealander Steven Adams grabbed 21 points for Memphis (22-13), which pulled within a game of Western Conference leader Denver.

Zion Williamson scored 20 points to lead the Pelicans (23-13), who fell half a game behind Denver.

Tyler Herro sank a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Miami a 126-123 victory at Utah. Bam Adebayo led the Heat with 32 points while Herro added 29 for Miami.

Julius Randle scored 35 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead New York's 108-88 romp at Houston, which snapped the Knicks' five-game losing streak.

Caris LeVert scored 23 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped a three-game losing streak by edging Chicago 103-102 when DeMar DeRozan missed a winning jump shot for the Bulls at the buzzer.

Myles Turner scored 34 points and Tyrese Haliburton added 24 to lead the Indiana Pacers over the visiting Los Angeles Clippers 131-130. Chris Paul scored a game-high 45 points for the Clippers.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Doncic triple-double carries Mavs past Warriors

LOS ANGELES -- Luka Doncic delivered a 41-point triple-double to power the Dallas Mavericks to a 116-113 victory over NBA champions Golden State on Tuesday in a rematch of last season's Western Conference finals.

Dallas' Slovenian star added 12 rebounds and 12 assists in the victory -- his 51st career triple-double and his fifth this season.

The Mavs, who fell to the Warriors in five games in last season's conference finals, needed every bit of the "Luka Magic."

Although they jumped to a quick 23-6 lead, the Warriors had cut the deficit to one point at halftime thanks in large part to the efforts of their bench, who outscored the Mavs reserves 43-29.

Doncic scored 13 points in the third quarter, but the Mavs still couldn't shake Warriors, the lead changing hands six times in the action-packed fourth that ended with the Mavs snapping a four-game losing streak.

Stephen Curry scored 32 points for Golden State, including a three-pointer over Maxi Kleber for a 110-108 lead with 2:09 to play.

But Doncic fed Tim Hardaway for a three-pointer and blocked a Curry attempt before teammate Josh Green banked in a shot and the Mavericks took the lead for good.

Hardaway scored 22 points for the Mavericks and Spencer Dinwiddie added 14 before he was ejected for a flagrant foul after an elbow to the face of Jordan Poole early in the fourth.

It was a morale-boosting performance for Hardaway, whose struggles this season included a six-point effort in a loss to Milwaukee on Sunday.

New York's Julius Randle celebrated his 28th birthday with a season-high 36 points as the Knicks trounced the Pistons 140-110 in Detroit.

"I'm getting old," Randle quipped in a post-game interview with MSG Network after a standout performance that included seven rebounds, five assists and a steal. "I've got to cherish these games."

Quentin Grimes, Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett scored 16 points apiece for the Knicks and Immanuel Quickley added 15 off the bench.

The Knicks had lost four of their previous five contests, but stretched their winning streak against Detroit to 11 games.

The Pistons, who haven't beaten the Knicks since January of 2020, were led by 19 points from Isaiah Stewart, who was back in action after missing seven games with a sprained toe.

Detroit's Bojan Bogdanovic scored 13 in his return from injury, but two regular Pistons starters, Cade Cunningham and Jalen Ivey, were sidelined.

The Pistons put together a 20-9 run to take a 45-44 lead with 8:09 left in the second quarter.

The Knicks responded with a 24-8 run to take a 70-56 lead at halftime.

They out-scored the Pistons 38-21 in the third, which Randle opened with three baskets -- one of them a dunk that Stewart took exception to, giving Randle a shove to earn a technical foul.

The Knicks led 108-77 going into the fourth quarter, which Randle and the rest of the Knicks starters watched from the bench.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Celtics wins 9th straight; Lakers, Warriors win

The Boston Celtics rolled to a ninth straight NBA victory on Friday while Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic notched another milestone with his 50th career triple-double.

Doncic scored 33 points with 12 rebounds and 11 assists in the Mavericks' 127-99 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

At 23 years and 263 days old in his 279th game became the second-youngest and second-fastest NBA player to 50 triple-doubles.

Oscar Robertson was 23 years and 32 days old when he achieved the feat in his 111th career game.

It marked the 25th time that Doncic has scored at least 30 points in a triple-double. He's got four 30-point triple-doubles in 14 games this season.

His Friday exploit came as the Nuggets are without two-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic, who missed a second straight game due to Covid-19 protocols.

"It's great," Doncic said of the achievement, albeit without much enthusiasm, adding: "A win is a win."

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd was a bit more effusive in discussing his young star.

"He's already rewriting the record books," Kidd said. "Oscar is pretty special, so to be in there behind Oscar – it just shows you how good he is."

In New Orleans, the Celtics improved their league-leading record to 13-3, their latest long-range barrage burying the Pelicans 117-109.

Each of Boston's five starters scored in double figures and each drained at least two of the Celtics' 20 three-pointers – Derrick White connecting on six.

Jaylen Brown paced the Celtics with 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists and White added 26.

New Orleans cut a 13-point deficit to six midway through the fourth quarter before the Celtics pulled away again, and Brown said that despite their recent dominance the Celtics can improve their focus.

"Sometimes we get a lead and we let the game get away from us," he said. "That's the challenge, to be mature, to be locked in and be focused.

"Other teams are not going to lay down. They know we got to the Finals last year so they're going to come with their 'A' game."

The Golden State Warriors, who beat the Celtics in last season's championship series but have struggled in the early stages of their title defense, rebounded from an ugly loss to Phoenix with a 111-101 victory over the New York Knicks.

"Our defensive effort tonight was finally a little bit better," said Stephen Curry, who led the Warriors with 24 points and 10 rebounds. "We still believe that's how we win. We've just got to put it together game after game after game."

In Philadelphia, 76ers center Joel Embiid scored 32 points and out-dueled Milwaukee big man Giannis Antetokounmpo to lead the injury-depleted hosts to a 110-102 victory over the Bucks.

The Sixers, missing James Harden, Tobias Harris and Furkan Korkmaz going into the contest, lost Tyrese Maxey to a foot injury at halftime.

Maxey had scored 24 points before he limped out late in the second quarter.

Embiid's 19 second-half points propelled the 76ers past the Bucks, who led 62-55 at halftime.

Embiid – coming off 42-point and 59-point performances on Saturday and Sunday – added 11 rebounds and eight assists.

Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 25 points and 14 rebounds. But he connected on just four of 15 free-throw attempts.

- Morant injures ankle -

In Memphis, Jaren Jackson's 25 points and 12 rebounds led the Grizzlies in a 121-110 victory over Oklahoma City, but it could prove a costly win after Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant departed late in the contest with a left ankle injury.

The Cavaliers needed two overtimes to put away the Charlotte Hornets 132-122 in Cleveland.

Darius Garland scored 41 points and Donovan Mitchell added 34 for the Cavs, who saw their 10-point lead erased in the final 52.4 seconds of regulation.

It also went to overtime in Washington, where the Wizards edged the short-handed Miami Heat 107-106.

Bradley Beal scored 27 points, Kyle Kuzma added 21 and Kristaps Porzingis added 20 with 17 rebounds for the Wizards, who withstood a triple-double of 24 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists by Miami's Kyle Lowry.

The Utah Jazz came out on top in a shootout with Phoenix, edging the Suns 134-133.

Utah's Lauri Markkanen scored a career-high 38 points, including a go-ahead turnaround jump shot with 38.5 seconds left.

Devin Booker led the Suns with 49 points but was frustrated late as the Jazz ended a three-game skid.

In Los Angeles, the Lakers beat the Detroit Pistons 128-121, despite the absence of superstar LeBron James for a third straight game with a groin injury.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Doncic tallies triple-double as Mavs edge Nets in overtime

Luka Doncic's 41-point triple-double propelled the Dallas Mavericks to a 129-125 NBA overtime triumph over the Nets in Brooklyn on Thursday.

Slovenian star Doncic's big night, which also included 11 rebounds and 14 assists, saw the Mavs come out on top in a furious back-and-forth battle.

Kyrie Irving, who led the Nets with 39 points, capped a 7-0 Brooklyn scoring run with a three-pointer over Doncic to put the hosts up 110-106 with less than four minutes left in regulation.

A Doncic basket and two free throws by the Mavs star saw Dallas pull level again and Tim Hardaway gave them a 112-110 lead with another pair of free throws.

But the Nets then harried Doncic into a turnover, Ben Simmons coming up with the steal and getting the ball to Kevin Durant who raced down the court for a thunderous dunk that tied it up with 8.8 seconds remaining.

Dallas took control quickly in the extra session with a basket from Doncic and a pair of three-pointers from Hardaway and Maxi Kleber -- Doncic assisting on both.

Doncic set up Reggie Bullock for another three-pointer, scoring or assisting on Dallas' first 15 points of overtime as the Mavs pushed their lead to as many as nine points and handed the Nets their second defeat in as many nights.

They fell to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks on Wednesday, two days after falling prey to Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies. 

Doncic notched the 47th regular-season triple-double of his career and became the 10th player in NBA history with three or more 40-point triple-doubles.

He connected on 14 of 28 shots from the floor, made 11 of 13 free-throw attempts and came up with three steals.

Durant added 37 points for the Nets, who fell to 1-4.

In other early action, the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the short-handed Los Angeles Clippers, 118-110, their second victory over the Clippers in less than a week.

With Clippers star Kawhi Leonard sitting out to manage his return after he missed all of last season with a torn knee ligament, Los Angeles star Paul George was held to just 10 points by his former team.

Former Clipper Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 24 points and Lu Dort added 21 for OKC, who had beaten the Clippers on Tuesday.

Norman Powell paced the Clippers with 21 points and Reggie Jackson added 18, but Los Angeles dropped their third straight.

Agence France-Presse

NBA fines Mavs $100K over continued bench antics

NEW YORK, United States - The NBA upped the pressure on the Dallas Mavericks over their boisterous bench antics on Sunday, fining the club $100,000 after its latest violation of "bench decorum."

The hefty penalty, for conduct during the Mavs' game-two loss to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference finals, comes after fines of $25,000 and $50,000 over the behavior of unoccupied Mavs players on the sideline during the club's series win over the Phoenix Suns.

"The amount of Dallas' fine also reflects prior infractions of team bench decorum rules in the 2022 NBA playoffs," president of league operations Byron Spruell said in a statement.

The latest Mavs actions to provoke the NBA's ire occurred on Friday, when Golden State's Stephen Curry scored 32 points and the Warriors erased a 19-point first-half deficit to win 126-117 and take a commanding 2-0 series lead.

Game three was on Sunday in Dallas.

"On multiple occasions, several players and a member of the coaching staff stood for an extended period in the Mavericks’ team bench area, stood away from the team bench, and were on or encroaching upon the playing court during game action," Spruell said.

That has been a familiar pattern for the Mavericks, whose bench players have made it a habit to create commotion on the sideline.

Billionaire Mavs owner Mark Cuban isn't likely to be bothered by the increasing fines -- nor he is likely to curb his own habit of straying toward the court.

Even Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he didn't much mind the antics, as long as they didn't create confusion as to who was actually in the game.

At one point on Friday, Curry was attempting a pass into the corner but ended up throwing the ball out of bounds toward the Mavs bench, with some suggesting Curry mistook one of the inactive Mavs players -- two of whom were standing and wearing white -- for a teammate in a white uniform jersey.

In the same contest, Golden State's Jordan Poole came down from a three-point attempt and almost landed on the feet of Mavs players on the sideline.

"I don't mind as long as it doesn't interfere with the game," Kerr said. "I love the fact that Dallas' bench is energetic and talking trash and into it. I think that's what fans want to see. They want to see a team that cares and they want to see energy and chemistry. So I love it, but when it interferes with the game, that's when it crosses the line.

"So I think that's the only thing I'm concerned with, if there is a play that ... if there's a person on the court, person who is standing up calling for the ball, that's a little too much. But otherwise, I really enjoy it. I think it's great."

Agence France-Presse

Curry, Warriors comeback stuns Luka, Mavs to take 2-0 series lead

Stephen Curry scored 32 points as the Golden State Warriors staged a stunning fightback to defeat the Dallas Mavericks 126-117 on Friday and seize control of their NBA Western Conference finals series.

A pulsating clash at San Francisco's Chase Center saw the Warriors overturn a 19-point first-half deficit for a victory that leaves the six-time NBA champions 2-0 up in the best-of-seven series.

Curry may have led the Warriors scoring but the remarkable turnaround owed everything to a dogged team performance.

Six Golden State players finished in double figures, with Jordan Poole, Kevon Looney and Andrew Wiggins all coming up with crucial plays.

Looney in particular delivered a crucial performance with a career-high 21 points and 12 rebounds.

Luka Doncic meanwhile produced another high-scoring masterclass for Dallas with 42 points, five rebounds and eight assists, while Jalen Brunson had 31 points.

But the night and victory belonged to the Warriors, who had been left shellshocked by Dallas in a wild first half.

The Mavericks erupted for 72 points in the first two quarters that left them 14 points clear, leading 72-58 at the break.

Doncic led the offensive bombardment with 24 first-half points, with Brunson nailing four three-pointers for a 20-point haul.

Reggie Bullock was also deadly from downtown, making four of out five attempts from three-point range in the first half.

The Mavs led from the outset, with Doncic putting them 5-0 ahead before a 13-0 run left Dallas 23-8 up with just a few minutes gone.

Stung into action, the Warriors produced a 13-0 run of their own to get back within three points at 26-23, but once again Dallas pulled clear with deadly long-range shooting.

Dallas made 15 of 27 three-pointers during the first half, almost double the eight-of-15 converted by the Warriors.

Doncic put the seal on an incredible display with a 29-foot three-pointer on the stroke of half-time.

But the momentum swung back towards Golden State in the third quarter, with the Warriors chipping away at the Mavs lead to close within two at 85-83 heading into the fourth quarter.

A three-pointer from Otto Porter Jr. gave the Warriors their first lead of the night at 86-85 early in the fourth quarter, and with their noses in front Golden State were not to be denied.

The Warriors outscored Dallas 43-32 in the final quarter to complete a thrilling win as the series heads to Texas for game three on Sunday.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Mavericks welcome Luka Doncic back, take care of Thunder

Marquese Chriss scored a season-high 15 off the bench to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 95-86 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road Sunday night.

The Mavericks got three key players back after stints in the league's COVID-19 protocol, including star Luka Doncic.

Doncic, playing for the first time since Dec. 10 after missing 10 games due to left ankle soreness and then the NBA's health and safety protocols, had 14 points on 6-of-14 shooting with 10 assists and nine rebounds, falling just shy of what would've been his third triple-double of the season.

Tim Hardaway Jr., who had missed six games, had 15 points also while Maxi Kleber also returned after missing six games.

While the Mavericks got some of their firepower back, the Thunder were without their two top scorers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is in health and safety protocol while Luguentz Dort was out with left knee soreness.

Without Gilgeous-Alexander and Dort, the Thunder turned to rookie Josh Giddey for offensive production. He led Oklahoma City with 17 points, a season-high 14 assists and 13 rebounds.

Giddey had flirted with triple-doubles several times this season, reaching double figures in two categories six times, but had yet to reach the mark in three until Sunday. Giddey also tied a season high with four steals.

The Mavericks led by as many as 15 before the Thunder trimmed the lead to three with less than four minutes remaining in the third quarter on Giddey's 3-pointer.

But Dallas responded with seven quick points over just more than a minute to stretch the lead back to double digits.

The Thunder didn't seriously threaten the lead again until cutting it to four in the final minute before Kleber answered with a 3-pointer to put the game away.

While he showed some rust, Doncic still made an impact early, draining the first shot he took -- a stepback 3-pointer from the left wing.

But the Mavericks were uneven early, until they surged to the lead with a 14-2 run late in the first quarter. Hardaway Jr. scored six points during the stretch, and all of Dallas' buckets in the run were assisted while the Thunder were just 1 of 8 with two turnovers.

-reuters-

NBA: Grizzlies set record in 97-90 win over Mavs

Desmond Bane scored a career-high 29 points as the visiting Memphis Grizzlies posted an NBA-record fourth straight wire-to-wire win Saturday, courtesy of a 97-90 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

Bane made 12 of 20 shots -- including 4 of 6 from 3-point range -- and added nine rebounds for the Grizzlies, who overcame a depleted lineup to extend their season-high winning streak to four games.

Memphis played without Ja Morant (left knee sprain), Brandon Clarke (right knee soreness), Kyle Anderson (back soreness), Ziaire Williams (left knee soreness) and Sam Merrill (left ankle sprain).

Tyus Jones scored 16 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. had 13, and Steven Adams collected 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Grizzlies. Memphis overcame 22 turnovers and a 14-for-24 performance at the free-throw line.

Dallas played without star Luka Doncic (left ankle soreness), Kristaps Porzingis (left knee contusion) and Willie Cauley-Stein (personal reasons) on Saturday. The Mavericks are 0-4 this season without Doncic, who averages team-best totals in points (25.4), assists (8.5) and rebounds (8.1).

Tim Hardaway Jr. sank five 3-pointers to highlight his 29-point performance for Dallas, which has lost seven of its last nine games overall.

Hardaway drained a 3-pointer to bring the Mavericks within five points with 1:45 left in the fourth quarter, however Jones answered with a floating jumper to effectively end the threat.

Memphis didn't miss a beat after erupting for a franchise-best point total and NBA-record 73-point margin of victory in 152-79 rout of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. The Grizzlies scored 13 of the game's first 15 points on Saturday, with Jackson sinking a pair of 3-pointers and Bane also connecting from beyond the arc during the surge.

Memphis scored the first seven points of the second quarter and 16 of the first 22 to secure a 38-24 lead.

Bane heated up toward the end of the second quarter, sinking a mid-range jumper and two 3-pointers to push the Grizzlies' advantage to 49-34 with 59.8 seconds to play.

De'Anthony Melton sank a 3-pointer to extend Memphis' lead to 69-52 with 3:15 left in the third quarter, however Trey Burke and Frank Ntilikina converted from beyond the arc on consecutive possessions.

-reuters-

NBA: Mavericks snap Nuggets' five-game winning streak

Kristaps Porzingis had 29 points and 11 rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks beat visiting Denver 111-101 on Monday, snapping the Nuggets' five-game winning streak.

Porzingis made five 3-pointers and Luka Doncic added 23 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists before heading to the locker room in the final minute with a left ankle injury.

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 13 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter for Dallas, which won for the fifth time in its last six games.

Nikola Jokic had 35 points, 16 rebounds and six assists for Denver. Monte Morris had 17 points and Aaron Gordon recorded 14 points and seven rebounds.

Denver led 83-79 before Dorian Finney-Smith, Reggie Bullock and Hardaway opened the fourth quarter with three straight 3-pointers to put the Mavericks ahead by seven with 10 minutes remaining.

Tempers flared early in the fourth quarter after Nuggets forward JaMychal Green shoved Dallas guard Frank Ntilikina to the ground, but cooler heads prevailed and Green remained in the game.

After Jokic scored with 2:46 left to pull Denver within 108-98, Hardaway's 3-pointer extended the Mavericks' lead with 1:59 remaining.

Both teams shot a blistering 63.6 percent in the first quarter, which ended when Jalen Brunson hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to put Dallas ahead 35-32. Brunson finished with 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting.

Nuggets center Bol Bol provided a spark off the bench with seven quick points to open the second quarter. Dallas was held to 14 points on 5-of-22 shooting in the period and trailed 58-49 at the break.

Jokic had 13 points and 10 rebounds in the opening half for Denver, which closed with a 14-5 run.

Porzingis scored 17 points in the first half and remained hot in the third quarter, when his 3-pointer cut the Mavericks' deficit to 73-66 with 5:50 left.

Denver, which completed a 5-0 homestand with a 124-95 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, was looking to repeat a 31-point victory over the Mavericks on Oct. 29.

Nuggets guard Will Barton missed his second straight game due to low back tightness while forward Michael Porter Jr. remained out with lower back pain.

-reuters-

NBA: Luka Doncic leads Mavericks past Jazz

Luka Doncic tallied 31 points, nine rebounds and eight assists to lead the host Dallas Mavericks to a 111-103 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday night.

Doncic shot 6 of 11 from 3-point range to help the Mavericks pull away for their fifth straight victory. Dorian Finney-Smith added 23 points and Jalen Brunson chipped in 20 off the bench. Josh Richardson added 17 -- while making all five of his shots from 3-point range -- and Tim Hardway, Jr. scored 16 points.

Dallas was buoyed from a combined 23 made 3-pointers from its top five scorers. It was the most made 3-pointers Utah allowed in a single game in franchise history.

Mike Conley scored 28 points and went 6 of 10 from 3-point range to lead Utah. Donovan Mitchell, Jordan Clarkson, and Bojan Bogdanovic scored 16 apiece, although Mitchell missed 17 of 23 shots from the field. Rudy Gobert added 14 points and 15 rebounds.

The Jazz saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end.

Dallas scored on six straight possessions, capped by back-to-back baskets from Finney-Smith, to take a 27-20 lead late in the first quarter. Conley scored three baskets over a two-minute stretch to make it a one-possession game again heading into the second quarter.

Utah had a difficult time erasing the deficit because it could not hit shots from the perimeter. The Jazz shot just 4 of 23 (17.4 percent) from long distance before halftime.

Dallas took advantage of those shooting struggles. Richardson scored three baskets -- including a pair of 3-pointers -- to fuel a 13-6 run late in the second quarter. Doncic capped the run with a three-point play, giving Dallas a 48-38 lead.

Utah's shooting struggles extended into the third quarter, allowing the Mavericks to build on their lead.

The Jazz cut the deficit to 63-58 on a pair of baskets from Bogdanovic. Dallas answered with a 16-5 run to extend its lead to 79-63 late in the third quarter. Hardaway Jr. made three baskets to fuel the run and capped it with a 3-point play.

-reuters-

NBA: Mavericks rout Wizards for fourth straight road win

Luka Doncic finished with 26 points, Jalen Brunson came off the bench to score 19 and the Dallas Mavericks wrapped up a five-game road swing with their fourth straight win in a 109-87 defeat of the Wizards on Saturday in Washington D.C.

For the second game in as many nights, Dallas held its opponent to fewer than 100 points. The Mavericks held the Wizards to just 5-of-25 shooting from 3-point range and 35-of-86 overall from the floor.

Washington's scoring struggles resulted in an end to Russell Westbrook's streak with four consecutive triple-doubles. He finished with 26 points, 14 rebounds and five assists, all team-highs, but had limited scoring help.

Dallas held two Washington starters -- Alex Len and Garrison Mathews -- scoreless.

Robin Lopez came off the bench to score 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting and Raul Neto added 16 points. But with NBA-leading scorer Bradley Beal sidelined for a fourth straight game due to a hip contusion and Rui Hachimura sidelined with a shoulder injury, the Wizards were without two of their top three scorers.

Dallas had its own sizable vacancy from the lineup with 7-foot-3 Kristaps Porzingis resting on the second leg of a back-to-back. Boban Marjanovic stepped into the starting lineup and delivered 15 points, 12 rebounds and clogged the paint defensively.

All five Mavericks starters scored in double-figures, including Tim Hardaway Jr. with 16 points. He made consecutive 3-pointers in the fourth quarter that extended the Dallas lead to 19 points and effectively quashed Washington's comeback efforts.

The Wizards cut the deficit to nine points with 6:18 when Davis Bertans scored three of his 11 points, but they came no closer.

Dorian Finney-Smith scored 11 points for the Mavericks and Nicolo Melli finished with 10 points and eight rebounds. Doncic added eight rebounds and six assists.

The Mavericks welcomed back coach Rick Carlisle, who missed Friday's win over New York due to a false positive COVID-19 test.

-reuters-

NBA: Luka Doncic nets 42 as Mavs split games with Clippers

Luka Doncic scored 42 points, his fourth game with at least 40 this season, as the Dallas Mavericks earned a 105-89 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday to earn a split of a two-game set between the teams at Dallas.

Tim Hardaway Jr. had 15 points as the Mavericks won two days after a 109-99 defeat to the Clippers. The Mavericks, who were eliminated in the first round of last season's playoffs by the Clippers, won the season series 2-1 between the teams.

Doncic added nine assists and shot 16 of 28 from the field, while Kristaps Porzingis had 11 points and 13 rebounds.

Paul George scored 28 points and Kawhi Leonard added 20 as the Clippers lost for the fifth time in their last seven games and went 1-2 on a quick road trip to New Orleans and Dallas.

Los Angeles was without Serge Ibaka (back) for the second consecutive game, while head coach Tyronn Lue went with a starting lineup that included Ivica Zubac and Marcus Morris Sr. in back-to-back contests.

The Mavericks held the Clippers to 42 percent shooting from the field, one game after Los Angeles made half of their 86 field-goal attempts. The Clippers shot just 28.1 percent from 3-point range, while Dallas shot 44.1 percent from distance.

The Mavericks led 77-63 late in the third quarter after consecutive baskets by Porzingis. Two 3-pointers by George in the final 32 seconds of the third got the Clippers within 77-71.

The Mavericks pushed their lead back to double digits early in the fourth quarter and cruised home from there.

Zubac had 14 points with seven rebounds for the Clippers, while Morris had 11 points and seven rebounds. Nicolas Batum had just three points in his second game coming off the bench.

Josh Richardson had 14 points and Maxi Kleber had 12 for the Mavericks.

Dallas played without Dorian Finney-Smith, who was out after the birth of his child. Dwight Powell played three minutes in his return after missing Monday's game because of a non-COVID related illness.

-reurers-

NBA: Porzingis, Doncic carry Mavs to OT win over Pelicans

Kristaps Porzingis scored 34 points, and Luka Doncic added a 30-point triple-double as the host Dallas Mavericks defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 127-123, in overtime on Wednesday.

Seth Curry added 21 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 18 and Delon Wright had 10 for the Mavericks. Doncic added 17 rebounds and 10 assists, and Porzingis had 12 boards and five blocked shots. Dallas improved to 6-3 in the past nine games.

Brandon Ingram scored 27 before fouling out, Lonzo Bell had 25 points and 11 rebounds, and Zion Williamson scored 21 for the Pelicans, who lost their third straight. Jrue Holiday had 19 points, Frank Jackson scored 12, and Derrick Favors added 10 points and 14 rebounds.

The score was tied three times in overtime before Doncic made a 3-pointer for a 121-118 lead with 1:10 left.

The Mavericks led by two at halftime, and the Pelicans tied the score four times during the first seven minutes of the third quarter.

Williamson's dunk gave New Orleans its first lead since the first quarter, and Josh Hart followed with a layup that gave the Pelicans a 77-73 edge.

The score was tied three more times before Courtney Lee's dunk gave Dallas an 87-85 lead at the end of the third quarter.

New Orleans scored the first five points of the fourth quarter, and the game was tied three times before Wright's 3-pointer gave the Mavericks a 98-95 lead.

Ball's 3-pointer pulled the Pelicans even at 100 midway through the final quarter.

The score was tied twice more before Doncic's layup gave Dallas a 106-104 edge with 3:43 left.

Ingram's 3-pointer and baseline jumper gave New Orleans a 109-106 advantage with 1:51 left.

Maxi Kleber dunked, Curry made a 3-pointer and Curry sank one of two free throws to give the Mavericks a 112-109 lead with 10 seconds left.

Nicolo Melli hit a 3-pointer over Porzingis to tie the score with 7.9 seconds left and force overtime.

The Pelicans led for most of the first quarter before Curry's 3-pointer gave the Mavericks a 24-22 lead at the end of the period.

Dallas took its biggest lead of the game at 45-34 when Hardaway made a 3-pointer midway through the second quarter.

Favors scored the final four points of the half as New Orleans got within 57-55 at halftime.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Mavericks ride return of Doncic to win over Kings

Luka Doncic recorded 33 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in his return from an ankle injury to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 130-111 victory over the visiting Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.

Doncic missed seven games with the injury and the Mavericks went 3-4 without the All-Star point guard. Doncic was 10-of-18 shooting -- including 3 of 7 from 3-point range -- and 10 of 12 from the free-throw line in 31 minutes before exiting with 6:26 remaining.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting and also contributed 13 rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots. Tim Hardaway Jr. made five 3-pointers on his way to scoring 19 points, and Seth Curry added 18 for Dallas, which has a 33-22 record entering the All-Star break.

Buddy Hield posted 22 points and nine assists for the Kings, who have dropped back-to-back games after winning six of their previous eight contests.

De'Aaron Fox added 16 points, Kent Bazemore had 15 points and seven rebounds, Harry Giles III scored 11 points and Nemanja Bjelica had 10 points.

Sacramento (21-33) shot just 41.4 percent from the field and was 12 of 39 from behind the arc.

The Mavericks shot 56.5 percent from the field, including 17 of 40 from 3-point range.

Dallas led by 11 at the break before Porzingis scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting in the third quarter as the lead reached 23 during the stanza.

The Mavericks pushed their advantage to 19 when Porzingis knocked down a 17-footer to make it 78-59 with 6:58 left in the quarter.

Sacramento trimmed its deficit to 14, but Porzingis scored seven points during a 9-2 burst to give the Mavericks an 89-68 advantage with 3:27 remaining in the quarter.

Hardaway buried a 3-pointer to increase the lead to 93-70 with 2:22 left before Dallas took a 96-77 lead into the final quarter.

The Kings moved within 101-86 on Bazemore's three-point play with 10 minutes left. But the Mavericks answered with a 12-5 surge with Doncic capping it with a 3-pointer to make it 113-91 with 7:50 to play.

The lead topped out at 25 points.

Doncic looked spry in his first contest since Jan. 28 as he registered 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the first half as Dallas took a 63-52 lead.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Beal’s last-second layup lifts Wizards over Mavs

Bradley Beal's layup with 0.2 seconds left lifted the Washington Wizards to a 119-118 win over the visiting Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.

Beal took the inbounds pass from Troy Brown Jr. near the foul line with 1.8 seconds left and drove for the layup. The Mavericks' alley-oop attempt at the buzzer failed.

Dorian Finney-Smith's corner 3 gave the Mavericks a 117-112 lead with 1:48 remaining, but Ish Smith's 3 made it 117-115, and Davis Bertans tied it with two free throws with 45.3 seconds to play.

After Kristaps Porzingis' shot was blocked by Washington's Isaac Bonga, Beal missed and Tim Hardaway Jr. was fouled by Bonga with 1.8 seconds left. He missed the first but made the second.

Beal had 29 points for Washington, ending a streak of seven straight games with 30-plus points. Bertans added 20 points.

Seth Curry led seven Mavericks in double figures with 20 points and Hardaway finished with 19.

Porzingis, who suffered a broken nose in a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night, played but was limited to 21 minutes due to foul trouble, and finished with 11 points and nine rebounds.

Luka Doncic (sprained right ankle) of the Mavericks missed his fifth straight game and Washington was without Thomas Bryant (right foot soreness).

Shabazz Napier, acquired by Washington in a trade with the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, scored 14 points in his Wizards debut.

Dallas led by eight after Willie Cauley-Stein's dunk with 5:16 left in the third quarter, but Napier's 3-pointer at the buzzer pulled Washington within 93-92 entering the fourth.

Curry's 3-pointer put Dallas up 109-107 at the 5:45 mark and Jalen Brunson's layup pushed the lead to 111-107.

Washington trailed by seven points in the first quarter but tied the score at 33 on Rui Hachimura's jumper with 10:28 left in the first half.

Dallas went back up by as many as five but settled for a 64-62 halftime lead.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Mavs sink Kings behind Doncic's triple-double

Luka Doncic established a career high of 17 assists to go with 25 points and 15 rebounds while leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 127-123 victory over the host Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.

The triple-double was the 12th of the season for the second-year star as Dallas won its third consecutive game. Seth Curry made five 3-pointers while scoring 21 points for the Mavericks.

Dallas' Tim Hardaway Jr. added 18 points, Dwight Powell registered 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting and collected nine rebounds, Dorian Finney-Smith scored 15 points, and Maxi Kleber had 14.

De'Aaron Fox recorded 27 points and 12 assists for the Kings, who lost their third straight game. Buddy Hield and Harrison Barnes added 25 points apiece, Marvin Bagley III had 12 points, and Nemanja Bjelica contributed 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Dallas power forward Kristaps Porzingis (knee) missed his ninth straight game after he was ruled out shortly before game time.

Powell, who has received increased playing time with Porzingis sidelined, has made 44 of 54 field-goal attempts (81.5 percent) over the past seven games.

The Mavericks shot 51.1 percent from the floor, including 13 of 40 from 3-point range.

Sacramento shot 52.1 percent from the field and was 12 of 33 from behind the arc.

The Kings scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to pull within 108-99 with 10:56 remaining.

Dallas answered with a 9-2 push and took a 16-point lead on Curry's 3-pointer with 7:54 remaining.

Sacramento later pulled within 124-118 on a 3-pointer by Hield with 1:34 left.

Fox's basket moved the Kings within 125-120 with 19.2 seconds left. Doncic split two free throws for Dallas before Harrison Barnes drained a 3-pointer to pull Sacramento within 126-123.

Curry split two free throws with 8.9 seconds left, and the Mavericks held on.

Earlier, Hardaway connected on back-to-back 3-pointers and Doncic added a basket during an 8-0 spurt that saw Dallas open an 83-70 advantage with 8:18 left in the third quarter.

The lead reached 99-83 later in the quarter when Finney-Smith knocked down a 3-pointer and scored on a tip-in during a 34-second stretch.

Justin Jackson made a 37-foot 3-pointer as time expired in the third quarter to give the Mavericks a 108-93 lead.

Curry scored 16 first-half points, and Dallas held a 71-67 lead at the break. Hield tallied 16 for Sacramento before halftime.

source: news.abs-cbn.com