In their most recent game, the Dallas Mavericks (36-28) defeated the Detroit Pistons (10-53) 142-124, aiming to gather momentum after their crucial victory against the Miami Heat.
Luka Doncic had again another outstanding performance, finishing the game with 39 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals, and two blocks.
Regarding Doncic, Mavs coach Jason Kidd stated:
“[It] just shows where he’s playing at right now,” “The level that he’s at — to be able to score, to be able to find his teammates, and then lastly to be able to rebound the ball for us and help on the defensive end.”
Kyrie Irving‘s 21 points and five assists helped to back Doncic. Derrick Jones Jr. contributed 12 points, and Tim Hardaway Jr. and Daniel Gafford both scored 17 points.
Defensive prowess key to Mavs success
Dallas’ defensive playmaking was their strongest suit. They recorded 13 steals, 8 blocks, 19 opponent turnovers, and 35 points from giveaways.
The Mavs attempted 14 shots from outside the area, but they were quite effective when they were within it, going 37-54 (68.5%) and shooting 26-32 (81.3%) for free throws.
Cade Cunningham’s 33 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds lead Detroit. A significant spark came from the bench in the form of 27 points from Simone Fontecchio and 17 points and 12 rebounds from James Wiseman. The only other player in double figures for the Pistons was Jaden Ivey, who finished with 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Doncic’s catch-and-shoot jumper from beyond the arc gave the Mavs an early 13–6 lead.
Halfway through the first quarter, the Pistons answered with a fast 6-0 run to tie the game. After forcing a turnover to take an 18–17 lead, Detroit was able to score an alley-oop dunk in transition when Cunningham found James Wiseman.
Luka Doncic the history maker
Doncic and Cunningham made an effort to lead their teams throughout the second quarter. At the completion of the first quarter, the Mavs led 35–33 because neither team was able to generate much early separation. Despite going scoreless for the rest of the half, Kyrie Irving managed to get off to a solid start, leading all scorers with 11 points in the first quarter.
With 3:17 left in regulation, Doncic pulled down his tenth rebound, completing a triple-double and prolonging his two incredible streaks. He scored thirty points in a game for the sixth time in a row and recorded his fifth straight 35-point triple-double. The NBA record for both of those runs is two. After accomplishing this, he left the game.
Looking ahead, the Mavs will play the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night to cap out a two-game road trip.
