Luka Doncic fires up a triple-double to get past Blazers

2022-01-27 05:48
Credit: USA TODAY Sports - Scanpix

Kristaps Porzingis scored 22 points to lead seven players in double figures as the visiting Dallas Mavericks (28-21) led wire to wire in a 132-112 (40-25, 28-34, 30-22, 34-31) win over the depleted Portland Trail Blazers (20-28) on Wednesday.

Jalen Brunson contributed 20 points, 11 assists, and six rebounds for Dallas, which led by as many as 23 and won for the 12th time in 15 games. Luka Doncic recorded 15 points, 15 assists, and 15 rebounds.

Anfernee Simons paced Portland with 23 points. CJ McCollum scored 20 points and Norman Powell added 19 points and nine rebounds while Jusuf Nurkic tallied 18 points and eight rebounds.

Player of the Game
Jalen  Brunson
EFF
29
Jalen Brunson
Points 20
Accuracy 9-15
Rebounds 6
Assists 11

The Blazers were without several key players, including Nassir Little (shoulder), Robert Covington (knee), and Damian Lillard (core surgery).

The Mavericks bounced back from a 130-92 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday by shooting 54.5 percent from the field and 16 of 36 (44.4 percent) from 3-point range.

Dwight Powell and Reggie Bullock scored 15 points apiece for Dallas, while Maxi Kleber scored 12 points and Dorian Finney-Smith had 11.

The Mavericks led 98-81 before the Blazers scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter. Brunson ended the run with a 3-pointer, and Dallas maintained a double-digit lead for the rest of the game.

Dallas outscored Portland 40-25 in the first quarter while shooting 65.2 percent from the field.

Doncic and Porzingis combined for 24 points in the opening period for Dallas, which has won its past three meetings against the Blazers.

The Mavericks extended their lead to 63-45 on Frank Ntilikina's 3-pointer with 4:30 left in the first half, but Portland cut the deficit to 68-59 heading into the break by closing on a 14-5 run.

Nurkic scored with 4:48 left in the third quarter to pull the Blazers within 80-76 before Dallas quickly regained control with an 18-5 run to end the period.

Doncic, who recorded his sixth triple-double of the season, played 37 minutes, including the entire first quarter.

Dallas will be without Tim Hardaway Jr. for an extended period after the veteran guard sustained a broken fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot on Tuesday.

Blazers: Anfernee Simons 23 (5/7 2PT, 4/7 3PT, 7 AST), C.J. McCollum 20 (4/6 2PT, 4/10 3PT, 6 AST), Norman Powell 19 (3/8 2PT, 2/9 3PT, 7/12 FT, 9 REB), Jusuf Nurkic 18 (7/10 2PT, 8 REB).

Mavericks: Kristaps Porzingis 22 (7/15 2PT, 5/6 FT, 5 REB), Jalen Brunson 20 (7/12 2PT, 2/3 3PT, 6 REB, 11 AST), Luka Doncic (2/6 3PT, 5/8 FT, 10 REB, 15 AST), Dwight Powell 15 (5/5 2PT, 5/6 FT, 5 REB), Reggie Bullock 15 (4/7 3PT), Maximilian Kleber 12 (2/5 3PT, 5 REB, 3 BLK), Dorian Finney-Smith 11 (2/5 3PT).

Luka Doncic highlights:

Kristaps Porzingis highlights:



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