The Dallas Mavericks, led by their All-Star Luka Doncic, beat the hosts Utah Jazz, 115-105 on Monday night in a thriller at the Delta Center.
The Mavericks led a stellar comeback after blowing their 13-point lead to trail by eight points heading into the fourth quarter. The fourth quarter is where the Mavericks intensified their play significantly.
Dallas went on a 27-17 run to make the comeback possible, notably forcing the Jazz to 12 turnovers for the game. This allowed them to break loose in transition, where they thrived with athletic wings and versatile attacking options around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to score 16 points.
Luka Doncic ended the game with 29 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists with a steal and a block on 10-of-24 shooting from the field, including 2-of-11 from the 3-point line and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. Boasting a +10 net rating overall, Doncic secured his season's 19th triple-double.
Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.
Kyrie Irving was the Mavericks co-star right behind Doncic in scoring with 27 points, along with solid contributions from their newest additions to the team in P.J. Washington, who scored 16 points and Daniel Gafford's double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Luka Doncic's 75th career triple-double spearheads win vs Utah Jazz
After a decisive 16-point victory over the Utah Jazz at the American Airlines Center on Thursday, the Dallas Mavericks anticipated a formidable challenge as they prepared to face the Jazz in Salt Lake City on Monday. This time, the Jazz enjoyed the advantage of playing on their home court, without the fatigue of a back-to-back game as they had in the prior encounter.
Despite heading into the fourth quarter deadlocked at 88-88, the Mavericks executed a methodical final period to secure their fourth consecutive victory with a final score of 115-105. Dallas' defensive prowess has emerged as the standout narrative during this run of eight wins in nine games, and it was evident as they limited the Jazz to a mere 17 points in the fourth quarter.
Luka Doncic, though encountering difficulties in shooting from beyond the arc (2-of-11) notched his 75th career triple-double.
Doncic's pursuit of James Harden for the eighth spot on the NBA's all-time triple-double list is just one more triple-double away.
The upcoming back-to-back contests against the Sacramento Kings (41-29) carry significant weight for the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference standings, particularly in the race for the No. 6 seed.
The first game, scheduled for Tuesday, will see both teams navigating the challenge of playing on consecutive nights. Subsequently, the pivotal second matchup is set for Friday.
Mavericks Fan? Check out the latest Dallas Mavericks depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.