NBA: Mavericks stun Warriors without Luka Doncic

Dallas Mavericks forwards P.J. Washington, left, and Tim Hardaway Jr. celebrate a play during the second half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors in Dallas, Friday, April 5, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

DALLAS — P.J. Washington capped his best game in Dallas with a tiebreaking layup with 4.5 seconds remaining as Luka Doncic watched because of a sore knee, and the Mavericks beat Golden State 108-106 on Friday night in the NBA to end the Warriors’ six-game winning streak.

Washington finished with 32 points, his most since being acquired by the Mavericks from Charlotte before the trade deadline, and Kyrie Irving had 26.

The Mavericks solidified their hold on fifth place in the NBA Western Conference and are two games clear of seventh in pursuit of one of the six guaranteed playoff spots.

GAME-WINNER. MAVS HOLD ON. https://t.co/r2qokb4NV8

— NBA (@NBA) April 6, 2024

Stephen Curry scored 28 points, including a tying jumper with 13 seconds to go, as Golden State missed a chance to clinch a postseason spot.

Houston’s 119-104 loss to Miami gave the Warriors the chance to wrap up at least 10th place in the West. Instead, a five-game road winning streak ended and the Warriors need a win or Houston loss to become the final West team in the play-in tournament.

Both teams were finishing a back-to-back in a game that was moved back three days as part of a juggling of the schedule when the Warriors had two games postponed following the death of assistant coach Dejan Milojevic in January.

Doncic went from questionable to doubtful during the day before getting ruled out with right knee soreness.

Washington helped fill the void by staying hot from 3-point range, making 5 of 8 (and 12 of 18 overall) and beating his previous Dallas high of 23.

With the triple-double potential of Doncic missing, Irving had eight rebounds and seven assists as Dallas won for the 13th time in 15 games and improved to 4-3 when the eight-time All-Star plays while his superstar backcourt mate is out. Dallas is 4-6 without Doncic.

The Mavericks led by 16 points in the first quarter and 10 midway through the fourth when the Warriors slowly trimmed the deficit.

Curry got Golden State within a point with a long 3. After his blocking foul was held up on review because his heel was above the line in the restricted area, Curry hit the tying jumper.

On the next possession, Tim Hardaway Jr. drove the land and passed to Washington, who hit the bucket. Klay Thompson, who had 16 points, was short on a potential winning at the buzzer.

NEXT SCHEDULE

Warriors: Host Utah on Sunday night.

Mavericks: Host Houston on Sunday.