Luka Doncic triple-double lifts Mavs past Pistons in Mexico

MEXICO CITY — Luka Doncic’s Spanish was flawless. His game was pretty good, too.

Doncic scored 41 points and posted his eighth triple-double of the season, Seth Curry added a season-high 30 points off the bench and the Dallas Mavericks topped the Detroit Pistons 122-111 on Thursday night in the opener of the NBA Mexico Games.


Doncic finished with 12 rebounds and 11 assists for the Mavericks, who at 17-7 are off to their best 24-game start since posting the same mark at this point of the 2014-15 season.

“He picked us apart,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said.

Curry scored 18 points in the second quarter alone for Dallas. The Mavericks trailed by seven late in the first half, then went on a 14-0 run before intermission and eventually led by as many as 24.

Curry became the first Dallas reserve to score 30 off the bench since Jason Terry had 34 against San Antonio on Jan. 29, 2012.

“Even when Detroit was playing zone, our guys were making an effort to drive-and-kick, drive-and-kick and find Seth ultimately for the shot,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. “Real happy for him. He did everything. He drove it. He shot it. He made a couple good plays on the breaks. He made a couple good passes. He was a huge contributor tonight.”

Doncic’s eight triple-doubles already match his total from last season. Kristaps Porzingis added 20 points for the Mavericks, who outrebounded Detroit 52-34.

“I think we’re getting better and better every day,” Doncic said. “He’s going to get better. I’m going to get better. And with us two, the team is going to get way better.”

Andre Drummond led the Pistons with 23 points and 15 rebounds. Derrick Rose scored 19 points and Markieff Morris added 16 for Detroit, which got 12 from Tony Snell and 10 apiece from Christian Wood and Blake Griffin.

“Back to the drawing board,” Casey said. “Dallas is a great team. Rick’s done a heck of a job with that team. But we missed a lot of shots that we normally make. And then defensively, I thought we missed a lot of rotations.”


It was the 29th game in Mexico since 1992, the most of any country other than the U.S. or Canada in that span and came on a night where the NBA announced that Capitanes — a Mexico City-based team in that country’s top pro league — will be joining the G League starting next season.

“Playing out here was incredible,” Drummond said. “The atmosphere was outstanding.”

Doncic addressed the Mexico City crowd pregame — to their delight — in flawless Spanish, before turning the microphone over to Griffin. “Hola, Mexico,” was the extent of Griffin’s Spanish offering, as he grinned and a very amused Doncic looked on standing a few feet away.

The night didn’t get much easier for Griffin from there: He shot just 3 for 16, and 1 for 10 from 3-point range.

Doncic, meanwhile, went on to post his second 40-point triple-double of the season. He’s the first player in NBA history to have multiple 40-point triple-doubles before turning 21; he doesn’t celebrate that birthday until Feb. 28.

TIP-INS
Mavericks: It was the third time Dallas played a regular-season game outside of the U.S. or Canada — the Mavs played Houston in 1997-98 and Phoenix in 2016-17, both in Mexico City. … NBA Commissioner Adam Silver misspoke before the game at a news conference, introducing deputy commissioner Mark Tatum as “Mark Cuban” — the Mavs’ owner.

Pistons: Before Thursday, Detroit’s only other regular-season game outside of the U.S. or Canada was Jan. 17, 2013 — a loss to New York in London. … This was only Detroit’s second chance at a three-game winning streak so far this season. The Pistons had won two straight before losing to Milwaukee on Dec. 4, and had won two straight again before Thursday.

AVOCADO WOES
Drummond was a game-time decision because the Pistons said he had an allergic reaction to an avocado. He had swelling around his eyes Wednesday, but played as planned.

SECOND GAME
San Antonio plays Phoenix in Mexico City on Saturday. It’ll count as a home game for the Suns. This is the first time that the NBA has brought four teams to the Mexico games.

UP NEXT
Mavericks: Host Miami on Saturday.

Pistons: Visit Houston on Saturday.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Durant gets first triple-double with Warriors, win over Mavs

OAKLAND, California—Kevin Durant notched his first triple-double for Golden State with 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists and first in more than a year, leading the Warriors past the Dallas Mavericks 108-99 on Friday night.

Durant’s eighth career triple-double was his first since Dec. 10, 2015, against Atlanta. Klay Thompson scored 17 of his 29 points in the third quarter and finished with five 3-pointers and Stephen Curry added 14 points.

Harrison Barnes, who spent the past four seasons in a key role with Golden State, scored 25 points for Dallas against his old team.

In the first quarter, Curry (11,903) passed Purvis Short (11,894) for seventh place on the Warriors’ all-time scoring list.

Draymond Green had 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in Golden State’s ninth straight home win against the Mavericks, the Warriors’ streak longest ever.

There was some Curry vs. Curry in this one, with Stephen guarding brother Seth and vice versa for short stints.

Thompson has 78 3-pointers against the Mavs, his most against any opponent. The Warriors began 3 for 10 from long range but wound up 11 for 33.

Dirk Nowitzki, who had been questionable coming in with an illness, scored 11 points on 3-for-12 shooting in 23-plus minutes for Dallas.

Warriors reigning NBA Coach of the Year Steve Kerr, for one, is ready for 2017 given his health issues following complications from two back surgeries last year that still affect him.

But he doesn’t need to change his routine. Nor his star-studded roster.

“I’m not a resolution guy,” he said. “I go to the gym every day, I don’t just go to the gym the first 10 days of January.”

Two pairs of Stephen Curry’s special shoes were auctioned off to raise $45,201 to aid the Oakland Fire Relief fund following the deadly Dec. 2 Ghost Ship warehouse fire in nearby Oakland. The “Oakland Strong” shoes worn in a game by the MVP were taken for $30,101 by an anonymous bidder, while his pregame “Ghost Ship” grafitti-style pair went for $15,100 also to an anonymous bidder.

“I’m always very proud of Steph and all of our guys. They put some money together as a group, the team did, to donate to the fund,” Kerr said.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Nowitzki leads Mavericks to win over Lakers

Forward Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers for the eighth consecutive time, rolling to a 103-93 victory Sunday night at Staples Center.



Center Zaza Pachulia added 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Mavericks (2-1), who had six players score in double figures.



The Mavericks had three of their starters return. Forward Chandler Parsons (right knee surgery) made his season debut, while guard Deron Williams (left knee sprain) and Wesley Matthews (rest) returned from one-game absences.



Parsons was ineffective, compiling two points, three rebounds and three assists in 11 minutes. Williams finished with 11 points and eight assists, while Matthews had 10 points.



Guard Raymond Felton also scored 11 for Dallas, and guard J.J Barea came off the bench to chip in with 10 points and seven assists.



Forward Julius Randle finished with 22 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Lakers (0-3). Forward Kobe Bryant had 15 points on 3-of-15 shooting, while reserve guard Lou Williams scored 13.



Dallas hit 46 percent of its shots from the floor, while Los Angeles made just 36.5 percent.



Despite their struggles in the first half, the Lakers, who began the game in a 15-0 hole, were only down 54-45 at intermission.



They managed just 30.2 percent shooting compared to 43.8 percent for the Mavericks. Dallas also connected on nine of 17 (52.9 percent) three-pointers to four of 16 (25 percent) for Los Angeles before the break.



However, the Lakers enjoyed a considerable edge on free throws, hitting 15 of 19 (78.9 percent) to three of four for the Mavericks.



In the third, the Lakers cut the deficit to 64-57 after a three-point basket by rookie point guard D'Angelo Russell with 5:18 to go, but the Mavericks subsequently pulled away.



They closed on a 17-7 run for a 81-64 advantage heading into the fourth.



Two free throws by Williams pulled Los Angeles within 97-91 with 2:27 remaining, but that was the closest the Lakers would get. — Reuters

Forward Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers for the eighth consecutive time, rolling to a 103-93 victory Sunday night at Staples Center.

Center Zaza Pachulia added 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Mavericks (2-1), who had six players score in double figures.

The Mavericks had three of their starters return. Forward Chandler Parsons (right knee surgery) made his season debut, while guard Deron Williams (left knee sprain) and Wesley Matthews (rest) returned from one-game absences.

Parsons was ineffective, compiling two points, three rebounds and three assists in 11 minutes. Williams finished with 11 points and eight assists, while Matthews had 10 points.

Guard Raymond Felton also scored 11 for Dallas, and guard J.J Barea came off the bench to chip in with 10 points and seven assists.

Forward Julius Randle finished with 22 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Lakers (0-3). Forward Kobe Bryant had 15 points on 3-of-15 shooting, while reserve guard Lou Williams scored 13.

Dallas hit 46 percent of its shots from the floor, while Los Angeles made just 36.5 percent.

Despite their struggles in the first half, the Lakers, who began the game in a 15-0 hole, were only down 54-45 at intermission.

They managed just 30.2 percent shooting compared to 43.8 percent for the Mavericks. Dallas also connected on nine of 17 (52.9 percent) three-pointers to four of 16 (25 percent) for Los Angeles before the break.

However, the Lakers enjoyed a considerable edge on free throws, hitting 15 of 19 (78.9 percent) to three of four for the Mavericks.

In the third, the Lakers cut the deficit to 64-57 after a three-point basket by rookie point guard D'Angelo Russell with 5:18 to go, but the Mavericks subsequently pulled away.

They closed on a 17-7 run for a 81-64 advantage heading into the fourth.

Two free throws by Williams pulled Los Angeles within 97-91 with 2:27 remaining, but that was the closest the Lakers would get. — Reuters
- See more at: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/542840/sports/basketball/nowitzki-leads-mavericks-to-win-over-lakers#sthash.g60n6oJz.dpuf

LeBron James explodes for 42 as Heat blast Mavs in the fourth

DALLAS - LeBron James received very little rest during a busy All-Star weekend, and he had just one day off between Sunday's (Monday, PHL time) All-Star Game and the resumption of the season Tuesday night (Wednesday, PHL time) at the American Airlines Center.

It didn't matter. The Miami forward was at his best, posting 42 points, nine rebounds and six assists while carrying the Heat past the Dallas Mavericks, 117-106.

Dallas led 95-92 when swingman Vince Carter completed a four-point play with 7:47 left in the game. Miami then turned to a swarming defense that was missing for most of a very entertaining offensive game. The Heat produced a 16-0 run, extending the lead to 106-95 with 3:21 to go. Dallas finally ended its drought when center Samuel Dalembert hit the second of two free throws with 2:29 to go to make it 106-96.

The Mavericks went five minutes without scoring and six minutes between field goals as Miami closed out the game with a 25-8 run.

Dallas had a chance to earn a big home win in its first game since defeating the East-leading Indiana Pacers on the road in the final game before the All-Star break. However, the Mavericks' opportunity slipped away during the opening four minutes of the final quarter.

James took a breather while Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki, who finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, was hard at work trying to extend Dallas' small lead.

Instead, the Heat held a one-point lead by the time James checked back in.

James wound up hitting 16-of-23 shots. Miami guard Dwyane Wade was limited to 13 points on 4-for-7 shooting. He also had seven assists. Heat forward Chris Bosh added 22 points on 8-for-12 shooting, plus five rebounds. Reserve big man Chris Andersen scored 18 points, and guard Mario Chalmers added 10 points and nine assists.

Dallas got 15 points from Carter off the bench. Mavericks guard Monta Ellis, guard Jose Calderon and backup center Brandan Wright each scored 12 points, but they combined to shoot 13-for-35 from the floor.

Heat backup center Greg Oden had an impact at both ends in the first half. He scored five points on a finger roll and a dunk that became a three-point play with the foul. He also helped quiet Wright, who had a fast run of three thunderous dunks before the insertion of the 7’0” Oden.

In five minutes of action, Oden finished with the five points and one rebound. - Reuters


The scores:
HEAT 117 - James 42, Bosh 22, Andersen 18, Wade 13, Chalmers 10, Oden 5, Cole 3, Beasley 2, Battier 2, Allen 0

MAVERICKS 106 - Nowitzki 22, Carter 15, Calderon 12, Ellis 12, Wright 12, Harris 9, Marion 7, Dalembert 7, Crowder 5, Ellington 3, Blair 2, James 0, Larkin 0

Miami     30-30-24-33
Dallas    28-26-31-21

source: gmanetwork.com