Luka Doncic’s near triple-double lifts Mavs past Magic
FILE – Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on February 25, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Luka Doncic flirted with a triple-double, posting 33 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, Jalen Brunson scored 24 points off the bench, and the Dallas Mavericks weathered a late surge to beat the Orlando Magic, 130-124, Monday at the Amway Center in Orlando, Fla.
The Mavericks led by 18 points with fewer than five minutes to go, but Orlando powered back behind Nikola Vucevic. The center scored 10 of his team-high 29 points over the game’s final 4:06.
Terrence Ross, who scored 18 points off the bench, made a 3-pointer in the final minute that pulled Orlando within five points.
Dallas’ lead proved insurmountable – as did Doncic.
33 PTS, 10 REB, 9 AST and Luka closes it out for the @dallasmavs from deep! 👌 pic.twitter.com/lKTTx1J1N4
— NBA (@NBA) March 2, 2021
His step-back 3-pointer in response to a Vucevic field goal from long range with 1:16 remaining stemmed the tide of a 13-3 run, pushing the Mavericks’ advantage back to double-digits in the final minute.
Doncic led six Mavericks scoring in double figures. Kristaps Porzingis added a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds, Maxi Klebert scored 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the floor, Josh Richardson scored 11 points and Trey Burke added another 11 off the bench.
Orlando, which shot 20-of-41 from 3-point range, got 26 points from Evan Fournier and 18 from Michael Carter-Williams. Carter-Williams scored on an and-one in the final minute and made a steal that gave the Magic an opportunity to cut the deficit to two points with 11 seconds remaining.
Ross’ 3-point attempt, however, rimmed off. Ross finished 3-of-10 from outside. Fournier and Vucevic both went 5-of-8 to lead Orlando.
Monday’s loss marked four straight for the injury-depleted Magic. Aaron Gordon remained sidelined with an ankle injury, and both James Ennis III and Cole Anthony are out.
Dallas, meanwhile, picked up its fourth win in its last five games and moved above .500 for the first time since Jan. 22.
