Luguentz Dort’s big OT lifts Thunder past Mavericks
FILE––Luguentz Dort #5 of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Patrick Smith/Getty Images/AFP
Luguentz Dort scored 14 of his 30 points in overtime to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 120-114 win over the host Dallas Mavericks.
Rookie Tre Mann added a season-high 29 points for the Thunder, who have won back-to-back games for the first time since late December.
Dort took over in the extra period, scoring 14 consecutive Oklahoma City points to help the Thunder overcome a big night by Luka Doncic.
After the teams traded baskets to start overtime, Dort answered a Mavericks bucket with a 3-pointer to give Oklahoma City the lead for the final time.
He hit another 3-pointer with 30 seconds left to stretch the Thunder’s lead to seven points and all but put the game away.
Tre Mann and Lu Dort were letting it fly from deep as they combined for 59 PTS & 12 3PM to get the win for the @okcthunder in OT! #ThunderUp@Tre2Mann3: 29 PTS | 6-8 3PM @luthebeast: 30 PTS | 6 REB | 6 3PM pic.twitter.com/ARnzmDZYMS
— NBA (@NBA) February 3, 2022
The Thunder beat the Mavericks for the first time in four tries this season.
Dallas has dropped back-to-back games after winning 13 of its previous 16. The Mavericks’ losses have come to two teams in the bottom four in wins in the NBA — the Thunder and Orlando.
Doncic had 40 points and 10 assists to lead the Mavericks.
The Thunder led for much of the fourth until Reggie Bullock’s corner 3-pointer with less than 10 seconds left put the Mavericks up by two.
Reggie Bullock hits the 3 to put the @dallasmavs up 2!
Watch Now: https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa pic.twitter.com/7BrKSH3zQX
— NBA (@NBA) February 3, 2022
But Josh Giddey hit a streaking Kenrich Williams at the bucket on the inbounds pass to tie it up.
Doncic missed a long 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
The game stayed tight throughout much of the night, with neither team leading by more than eight until the Thunder went on a 15-4 run — hitting three 3-pointers — late in the third to take an 11-point lead in the final minute of the quarter.
Mann, who hadn’t scored more than 19 before Wednesday’s game, hit six 3-pointers.
Giddey added 14 points and 10 assists, Darius Bazley scored 13 with a season-high 11 rebounds, and Mamadi Diakite had a career-high 10 rebounds.
Oklahoma outrebounded the Mavericks 50-39.
Dallas got off to a hot start offensively, thanks to 14 first-quarter points from Doncic, who started 6 of 11 from the field.
But the Thunder stuck close, thanks to 10 points from Mann and six first-quarter 3-pointers.
