NBA: Luka Doncic, Mavericks too much for Pistons
Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots the ball against the Detroit Pistons in the first half at American Airlines Center on February 8, 2022 in Dallas, Texas. Ron Jenkins/Getty Images/AFP
Luka Doncic racked up 33 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds in 33 minutes and the host Dallas Mavericks overpowered the Detroit Pistons 116-86 on Tuesday.
The Mavericks have won three straight, while the Pistons have lost five straight and nine of their last 10.
Doncic has reached the 10-assist mark in seven consecutive games. Jalen Brunson scored 21 points and Trey Burke supplied 18 off the bench.
Reggie Bullock added 12 points, Dorian Finney-Smith contributed 11 points and seven rebounds, and Dwight Powell chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds. The Mavericks shot 50.6 percent and made half of their 36 3-point attempts.
Hamidou Diallo led the Pistons with 18 points and five rebounds. Jerami Grant tossed in 15 points and Isaiah Stewart had 14 points and grabbed 15 rebounds.
Trey Lyles chipped in 12 points and six rebounds, but Detroit shot 37.9 percent and made just 5 of 30 3-point attempts (16.7 percent). Reserve Killian Hayes committed eight turnovers.
Detroit was missing starting guard Cade Cunningham, who sat out his fourth straight game due to a right hip pointer. Dallas forward Kristaps Porzingis was sidelined for the fifth consecutive game due to a right knee bone bruise.
The Mavericks led 36-26 after the first quarter and 65-51 at halftime. Doncic had 20 points and seven assists and Brunson tossed in 15 points. Diallo led Detroit with 12 points.
.@Luka7doncic got rangeeeee 🎯 pic.twitter.com/tfqGpOuSVY
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) February 9, 2022
The Pistons had a 30-16 advantage in points in the paint, but the Mavericks made 10 3-pointers and outscored Detroit 13-5 at the free throw line.
Doncic made a 3-pointer and two free throws to give Dallas a 74-58 lead. His long 3-pointer midway through the third quarter made it 80-65. That began a 13-0 Dallas run that he capped with a basket in the lane.
Doncic found Burke for a 3-pointer in the final minute of the quarter as the Mavs carried a 98-71 lead into the fourth.
Dallas upped the lead to 30, 103-73, on Bullock’s 3-pointer.
