Basketball: Doncic triple-double carries Dallas past champs Golden State

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic scored 41 points. 12 rebounds and 12 assists against NBA champions Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. PHOTO: REUTERS/USA TODAY SPORTS

LOS ANGELES – The expectations are so huge for a star National Basketball Association (NBA) player like Luka Doncic, that even his Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd is not satisfied with the point guard’s triple-double on Tuesday night.

Doncic delivered 41 points to power the Mavs to a 116-113 home victory over NBA champions Golden State 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 the Western Conference Finals, needed every bit of the “Luka Magic”, while Kidd claimed that Doncic is simply “special”.

“It’s getting boring,” joked Kidd of his star player’s triple-double. “I mean, let’s see something different. Maybe do it with his left hand. I’m just joking.

“Look, he’s one of the best in the world, and that’s what he does. Some of us can take him for granted. The man is special.”

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

Doncic scored 13 points in the third quarter, but the Mavs still could not shake off the Warriors, the lead changing hands six times in the action-packed fourth quarter that ended with Dallas (10-10) snapping a four-game losing streak.

“I just participated, giving everything I got,” Doncic said after the win.

“I was really tired at the end, but we needed this game. I think we deserved this win, and we for sure needed this win.”

Stephen Curry scored 32 points for Golden State (11-11), including a three-pointer over Maxi Kleber for a 110-108 lead with 2min 9sec to play.

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

Hardaway scored 22 points 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.

He missed the 2022 post-season recovering from a broken foot, and was excited to play against the Warriors.

“Me not being able to play in the Western Conference Finals... Just wanting to go out there and compete, have fun. Playing against the champs,” he said.

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

“I’m getting old,” he quipped in a post-game interview with MSG Network after an outstanding performance that included seven rebounds, five assists and a steal. “I’ve got to cherish these games.”

Quentin Grimes, Jalen Brunson and R. J. Barrett scored 16 points apiece for the Knicks and Immanuel Quickley added 15 off the bench. The Knicks (10-11) had lost four of their previous five contests, but stretched their winning streak against Detroit to 11 games.

The Pistons (5-18), who have not beaten the Knicks since January 2020, were led by 19 points from Isaiah Stewart, who was back in action after missing seven games with a sprained toe.

In Portland, reserve Norman Powell scored 22 of his season-high 32 points in the fourth quarter to help the injury-ravaged Los Angeles Clippers rally to a 118-112 victory over the Trail Blazers.

Reggie Jackson recorded 24 points and 12 assists and Robert Covington scored 15 points as the Clippers won for the fifth time in the past seven games. AFP, REUTERS

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.