Mavericks rout Wizards for fourth straight road win
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 03: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks puts up a shot over Robin Lopez #15 of the Washington Wizards in the second half at Capital One Arena on April 03, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Rob Carr/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Rob Carr / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Luka Doncic finished with 26 points, Jalen Brunson came off the bench to score 19 and the Dallas Mavericks wrapped up a five-game road swing with their fourth straight win in a 109-87 defeat of the Wizards on Saturday in Washington D.C.
For the second game in as many nights, Dallas held its opponent to fewer than 100 points. The Mavericks held the Wizards to just 5 of 25 shooting from 3-point range and 35 of 86 overall from the floor.
Washington’s scoring struggles resulted in an end to Russell Westbrook’s streak with four consecutive triple-doubles. He finished with 26 points, 14 rebounds and five assists, all team-highs, but had limited scoring help.
Dallas held two Washington starters — Alex Len and Garrison Mathews — scoreless.
Robin Lopez came off the bench to score 18 points on 8 of 9 shooting and Raul Neto added 16 points. But with NBA-leading scorer Bradley Beal sidelined for a fourth straight game due to a hip contusion and Rui Hachimura sidelined with a shoulder injury, the Wizards were without two of their top three scorers.
Dallas had its own sizable vacancy from the lineup with 7-foot-3 Kristaps Porzingis resting on the second leg of a back-to-back. Boban Marjanovic stepped into the starting lineup and delivered 15 points, 12 rebounds and clogged the paint defensively.
All five Mavericks starters scored in double-figures, including Tim Hardaway Jr. with 16 points. He made consecutive 3-pointers in the fourth quarter that extended the Dallas lead to 19 points and effectively quashed Washington’s comeback efforts.
The Wizards cut the deficit to nine points with 6:18 when Davis Bertans scored three of his 11 points, but they came no closer.
Dorian Finney-Smith scored 11 points for the Mavericks and Nicolo Melli finished with 10 points and eight rebounds. Doncic added eight rebounds and six assists.
The Mavericks welcomed back coach Rick Carlisle, who missed Friday’s win over New York due to a false positive COVID-19 test.
–Field Level Media
