Luka Doncic, Mavericks Hold off John Collins, Trae Young, Hawks for Win
Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks defeated Trae Young's Atlanta Hawks, 118-117, on Wednesday at American Airlines Center in a matchup between two stars who were traded for each other on draft night in 2018.
Doncic is now 3-1 against Young to start their careers. Dallas (12-14) has won four of its last six games, including three straight, and leapfrogged the Houston Rockets to get out of last place in the Southwest Division and two games out of first place.
The Hawks, meanwhile, continue to slide. Atlanta (11-13) has lost four of its last five games, though it entered Wednesday in a tie for first with the Charlotte Hornets (12-13) in the lackluster Southeast Division.
A fully healthy Mavericks team wore down the Hawks late in the second half.
In a rivalry that started on draft night three years ago, Doncic continues to hold the upper hand.
Notable Performers
Trae Young, PG, Atlanta Hawks: 25 points, 15 assists, 7 rebounds, 8-of-22 FG
John Collins, PF, Atlanta Hawks: 33 points, 8 rebounds, 13-of-18 FG
Luka Doncic, PG, Dallas Mavericks: 28 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists
Jalen Brunson, PG, Dallas Mavericks: 21 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds
Luka vs. Trae Comes Down To Last Possession
Young was apoplectic at the final buzzer as Danilo Gallinari's 20-footer clanked off the rim. Not because the Hawks didn't get a good look on their last shot, but because they were prevented from getting the ball in Young's hands on the inbound.
The guard was knocked to the ground by a hard screen from Dallas center Willie Cauley-Stein as he tried to break free for a catch-and-shoot. While Cauley-Stein's elbow appeared to graze Young's face, the referees chose not to call a foul, effectively allowing the Mavs to eliminate the threat of a game-winner from Atlanta's best playmaker.
By the time he got to his feet, the clock had expired, leaving Young and Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce furious with the non-call.
The Hawks couldn't keep up with a barrage of made threes from Jalen Brunson and Tim Hardaway Jr. despite building a 13-point lead. Especially with Young unable to hit anything from the field in the second half. After dropping 19 points in the first 24 minutes, Young went cold after halftime and didn't hit his next shot until there was 1:05 left in the fourth quarter.
Even then, Young stayed aggressive, drawing the defense toward him on the perimeter and dishing to open teammates across the floor. Young's 15 assists were his second-highest total of the season and just three shy of his career-high.
Doncic had to take a similar route to keep his club in the game when he started off cold in the first quarter. After opening 1-of-5 from behind the arc, Doncic attempted only two more threes on the night and instead drove the lane off the dribble to get points at the rim. When he couldn't, he usually had a teammate nearby for a quick assist.
That's how he picked up his eighth triple-double of the season and brought home a win to keep his team rolling and added another chapter to one of the league's more entertaining rivalries.
Hawks and Mavs Headed In Different Directions
Atlanta and Dallas essentially used Wednesday as an opportunity to wave at each other as one team continued to rise following a brutal start to the year and the other kept falling after opening up 4-1.
Fortunately for the Hawks, they don't appear to have much competition in the Southeast to make these losses hurt even more. With the Miami Heat (10-14) still trying to rediscover their rhythm after reaching the Finals last year and the Charlotte Hornets (12-14) still coming along in their rebuild, it seemed like the Hawks were in a position to take advantage of the division's weaknesses and build a solid lead.
That didn't happen, and the Hawks may come to regret it.
Getting swept in a two-game season series by the Mavericks wouldn't have been so bad if they weren't incredibly winnable games. Before losing by one point Wednesday, the Hawks fell to the Mavs by six on Feb. 3.
The Mavericks entered both games under .500. They're now three victories away from a winning record after a stretch of seven losses in eight games at the end of January.
The Hawks were supposed to take their next step as a contender this year—and they still could—but the stumbles along the way prove they still have plenty of work to do until they reach sustainable success.
What's Next
The Hawks return home for back-to-back games, beginning with a visit from the San Antonio Spurs at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday followed by a meeting with the Indiana Pacers on Saturday at the same time. The Mavs remain home for three more games as the New Orleans Pelicans arrive on Friday for a 7:30 p.m. ET tipoff on ESPN.
This article will be updated shortly to provide more information on this game.
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