NBA: Balanced Pacers too much for Luka Doncic, Mavericks
Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) shoots as Dallas Mavericks’ Dereck Lively II (2) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, March 5, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
DALLAS — Myles Turner scored 20 points, Tyrese Haliburton had 19 points and 11 assists, and the Indiana Pacers beat the Dallas Mavericks 137-120 on Tuesday night despite Luka Doncic’s fourth consecutive NBA game with a 30-point triple-double.
Doncic had 39 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Russell Westbrook is the lone player in NBA history with five straight 30-point triple-doubles, and Oscar Robertson is the only other player with four.
Nine players scored in double figures for the Pacers, including five reserves as Indiana’s bench outscored Dallas’ 69-32.
Bennedict Mathurin had 19 points off the bench for the Pacers. Pascal Siakam added 13 points and 14 rebounds.
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) March 6, 2024
Kyrie Irving scored 23 for the Mavericks. P.J. Washington had 20 points, and Daniel Gafford added 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Indiana built on a 74-70 halftime lead by scoring 20 of the first 26 points in the third period to go ahead 94-76 with 5 1/2 minutes left in the quarter. The Pacers led by double digits the rest of the way. They outscored the Mavericks 32-18 in the third, holding Dallas to 26.1% shooting with Doncic going 2 of 9 from the floor and missing his four 3-point attempts.
The Mavericks lost for the fifth time in six games following a season-best seven-game winning streak. Their skid began with a 133-111 loss at Indiana on Feb. 25, when Turner scored a season-high 33 points.
Indiana’s NBA-best scoring offense averaging 123.3 points per game was in peak form in the first half. The Pacers shot 60%, including 8 of 17 on 3-pointers. Turner was 7-of-10 shooting, missing only from downtown.
Mathurin scored 14 off the bench, all in the second period — the main contributor to Indiana’s 36-10 advantage in first-half bench scoring.
Doncic had 19 points in the second quarter and 28 for the half, going 4 of 8 on 3-pointers with three rebounds and six assists. Washington scored 15.
Doncic hit four of his first five shots to send Dallas to an early 17-11 lead. But Turner’s 14 first-quarter points allowed the Pacers to lead 35-32 after one.
NEXT SCHEDULE
Pacers: Will host Minnesota on Thursday.
Mavericks: Will face Miami on Thursday to close a three-game homestand.
