Luka Doncic's Triple Double Leads Mavericks Past DeMar DeRozan, Spurs
The Dallas Mavericks are starting to look like the contenders so many expected to see at the beginning of the season.
Dallas defeated the San Antonio Spurs 115-104 in Wednesday's Western Conference showdown at American Airlines Center. Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis led the way for the victors, who improved to 19-16 overall and 10-2 in their last 12 games with a fourth consecutive win.
An impressive showing from DeMar DeRozan was not enough for the Spurs, who fell to 18-15 on the season with their second straight loss.
Notable Player Stats
- Luka Doncic, PG, DAL: 22 PTS, 12 AST, 12 REB
- Kristaps Porzingis, C, DAL: 28 PTS, 14 REB
- DeMar DeRozan, F, SA: 30 PTS, 11 AST, 4 STL
- Rudy Gay, F, SA: 13 PTS, 9 REB
Luka, Porzingis Overwhelm Spurs in Dallas Victory
Dallas entered Wednesday's game on a roll because of one major and expected reason.
Doncic may be playing catch-up in the MVP race to the likes of LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Stephen Curry and others, but he averaged 30.3 points, 8.3 assists and 7.1 rebounds in February while reaching the 40-point mark three different times.
He is as dialed-in as any player in the league, but Patty Mills made a point of picking him up full-court in the early going and making him work for any open looks. The result was just six points to five turnovers in the first half for the two-time All-Star as Dallas found itself in an initial hole.
It is a testament to Doncic's greatness that he still found ways to impact the game by battling for boards and dishing out assists on his way to a triple-double even when he was struggling with his shot, which helped keep the home team well within striking distance despite a slow start.
He found his scoring touch in the third quarter by taking Mills off the dribble and posting him up at times. Porzingis also helped put the Mavericks ahead by controlling the glass, cutting to the rim, finishing lobs from Doncic and demonstrating soft touch on the inside against an overmatched San Antonio frontcourt.
That pair was ultimately too much for the Spurs as they stretched a narrow two-point advantage to double digits in the final minutes with a sequence that included the point guard finding the big man for a dunk with a lob and a three-pointer with a behind-the-back pass.
Porzingis also converted an and-1, and Doncic put the game away with a floater and three-pointer to drive home the point that he was the best player on the floor.
DeMar DeRozan's Impressive Showing Not Enough for Spurs
The Spurs' transition season continued Wednesday even before tip-off.
Head coach Gregg Popovich told reporters the team and seven-time All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge mutually agreed to part ways. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported San Antonio is exploring potential trades involving the veteran, further underscoring a transition to a core of young players such as Dejounte Murray, Keldon Johnson, Derrick White and Lonnie Walker IV.
It isn't all about the youngsters just yet, though, as DeRozan was dominant out of the gates.
He staked the Spurs to a seven-point halftime lead by getting inside the lane, hitting from mid-range and setting up his teammates while running the offense at times as a de facto point forward. Throw in Rudy Gay providing a spark off the bench with his red-hot shooting from the outside and the veterans were dialed in for a Spurs team looking to start the season's stretch run on the right foot.
DeRozan continued his offensive brilliance in the second half while pouring in points from inside the lane.
While San Antonio lost its lead heading into the fourth, the Mavericks had no answer for the four-time All-Star and were forced to send additional defenders his way. That helped open up looks for the supporting cast, and Mills, Johnson, Murray and Walker all took advantage as six visitors finished in double figures while DeRozan posted a double-double with his points and assists.
Still, even with DeRozan doing what he could to match the Doncic-Porzingis combination in crunch time by continuing to apply pressure to Dallas' interior defense, San Antonio didn't have the firepower around him to keep pace with multiple stars down the stretch.
What's Next?
The Mavericks visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, while the Spurs host the Orlando Magic on Friday.
