NBA roundup: Luka Doncic Leads Dallas Mavericks to Victory Over Phoenix Suns 123-113
NBA Roundup: In a thrilling match-up between the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns, Luka Doncic showcased his talent, scoring a game-high 41 points to propel the Mavericks to a 123-113 triumph over the visiting Suns on Thursday.
Doncic contributed nine rebounds and eleven assists. With 29 more points from Kyrie Irving, Dallas’ winning run reached seven games.
With 35 points, Devin Booker led Phoenix, while Kevin Durant scored 23 for the Suns, who lost their brief two-game winning streak but have still won 14 of their previous 19.
Phoenix led 63–60 at the half, but Dallas scored 15 points in a row, including five 3-pointers, to start the second half. During the stretch, Doncic scored three triples.
NUGGETS 130, WIZARDS 110
Denver defeated struggling Washington with a final score of 22 points and 11 rebounds from Michael Porter Jr. and 21 points, 19 rebounds, and 15 assists from Nikola Jokic.
Jokic, who converted all ten of his field goals, is one of the few players to have at least one triple-double against every NBA team he has played against, along with LeBron James and Russell Westbrook. Jokic has 121 triple-doubles in his career in addition to 16 this season.
The Nuggets ended a three-game losing streak with 18 points from Jamal Murray and 17 from Aaron Gordon. The Wizards have dropped nine straight games; Kyle Kuzma led them with 31 points and 12 rebounds. In addition to his 13 points, Tyus Jones had 14 assists.
WARRIORS 128, LAKERS 110
Golden State exploited LeBron James’s absence to their advantage, routing Los Angeles in San Francisco because to another impressive long-range shooting performance from Stephen Curry, who drained six 3-pointers and scored 32 points.
For the Warriors, who won for the seventh time in eight games, Andrew Wiggins finished with 20 points and Curry added a team-high eight assists.
A Lakers squad that had won its previous three games was slowed down by James’s decision to sit out due to a painful left ankle. D’Angelo Russell finished with 18 points and nine assists, while Anthony Davis recorded a team-high 27 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.
KINGS 127, SPURS 122
Sacramento defeated visiting San Antonio with a score of 28 points, 9 assists, and 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists from De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, respectively.
With 21 points apiece from Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk and 16 from Keegan Murray, the Kings won their second straight game with an 11-2 run in the fourth quarter.
The Spurs, who have lost nine times in ten games, were led by Devin Vassell, who scored 32 points on 13 of 18 shots, and Victor Wembanyama, who added 19 points, 13 rebounds, five steals, and five blocked shots.
THUNDER 129, CLIPPERS 107
Oklahoma City defeated visiting Los Angeles with 31 points and eight assists from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
At least twelve points were scored by each of the five Thunder starters. Josh Giddey scored 12, Luguentz Dort scored 19, and Jalen Williams scored 18. Holmgren contributed three blocks, three assists, and ten rebounds.
After missing the final game prior to the All-Star break, Kawhi Leonard made a comeback and led the Clippers with 20 points. Ivica Zubac finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds, Paul George had 14, James Harden scored 17, and Norman Powell contributed 19 points off the bench.
HORNETS 115, JAZZ 107
In Salt Lake City, Miles Bridges finished with a total of 26 points and 14 rebounds, while Grant Williams scored 24 points off the bench to help Charlotte, on a roll, defeat Utah.
The Hornets won for the fourth time in a row thanks to 20 3-pointers made and a 14-0 fourth-quarter outburst. Charlotte had won six games on the road this year.
With 21 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, Lauri Markkanen led Utah, but the Jazz had trouble shooting, making just 9 of 39 from three-point range. For Utah, John Collins pulled down 18 rebounds and scored nine points, while Collin Sexton chipped in with 17 points.
MAGIC 116, CAVALIERS 109
The Magic defeated Cleveland thanks to the 63 points scored by the Orlando bench, which was led by Moritz Wagner’s 22 points.
Wagner scored the most points he had since November 24 at the top level. In addition, he shared a team-high seven rebounds with Jonathan Isaac, another reserve.
In the absence of All-Star Donovan Mitchell due to sickness, Cleveland was led by Jarrett Allen (18 points), Darius Garland (18 points), and Max Strus (18 points). Garland recorded ten assists, while Allen contributed ten rebounds.
PACERS 129, PISTONS 115
After the All-Star break, Indiana defeated visiting Detroit in Indianapolis, led by Tyrese Haliburton’s 25 points and 13 assists and Pascal Siakam’s 20 points.
The Pacers led by as many as 31 points late in the first half and scored 42 points in the first quarter, paced by 16 points from T.J. McConnell. Myles Turner finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds, Isaiah Jackson added 13 points, and Bennedict Mathurin scored 15 points.
With 30 points and eight assists, Cade Cunningham led the Pistons. Jaden Ivey and Simone Fontecchio both scored 14 points, while Jalen Duren finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
KNICKS 110, 76ERS 96
With 22 points from Bojan Bogdanovic, who made all six of his 3-point tries, and 21 points and 12 assists from Jalen Brunson, New York built a 26-point lead and held on to defeat the visiting Philadelphia 76ers.
The Knicks ended a four-game losing trend with a double-double from Josh Hart (18 points and 12 rebounds) and Precious Achiuwa (18 points and 11 rebounds). In addition to Jericho Sims’ ten rebounds, Donte DiVincenzo scored sixteen points.
With 35 points, Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers. In his team debut, Kyle Lowry scored 11 points, while Buddy Hield and Kelly Oubre Jr. both contributed 14 points.
CELTICS 129, BULLS 112
With 28 points from Derrick White and 25 from Jayson Tatum, visiting Boston defeated Chicago for the seventh time in a row, a season best.
The Celtics shot 54.2 percent overall, including 48.9 percent from long range, with 21 points from Jaylen Brown.
For the Bulls, who have now dropped three of their last four games, Nikola Vucevic finished with 22 points and 14 rebounds. DeMar DeRozan added 19 points, and Coby White scored 20.
PELICANS 127, ROCKETS 105
Houston was crushed by host New Orleans, led by a double-double from Jonas Valanciunas and 28 points from CJ McCollum.
Despite Brandon Ingram’s absence due to a non-COVID sickness, the Pelicans won their eighth game in a row thanks to 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 27 points from Zion Williamson. This was their fourth straight victory.
The Rockets, who have lost six straight games, were led by Alperen Sengun (20 points) and Amen Thompson (22 points) in a bench position.
RAPTORS 121, NETS 93
Host Toronto dominated Brooklyn amid 18 points and 12 rebounds from Scottie Barnes. For the Nets, who have lost three straight and six of seven, the outcome marred Kevin Ollie’s first game in his interim role as coach.
The Raptors ended a three-game losing run with 25 points from Gary Trent Jr. and 24 points from Immanuel Quickley. For Toronto, RJ Barrett added 12 points.
Mikal Bridges led Brooklyn with 21 points, while Cam Thomas chipped in with 19. With 11 points, Lonnie Walker IV contributed.
