Doncic Leads Mavericks Over Short-Handed Warriors 112-109
DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 24 points, including a short jumper that gave Dallas the lead for good, and the Mavericks beat the Golden State Warriors 112-109 on Saturday night.
Golden State played without starters Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, but led by eight in the second half before the Mavs rallied.
Doncic hit a 10-footer in the lane with 1:10 left to put Dallas up 109-108, then sealed the game with two free throws with seven seconds remaining.
Kevin Durant scored 32 points, but only three in the fourth quarter on 1-for-7 shooting. Klay Thompson added 22 for the two-time defending champion Warriors. Durant missed two shots and Thompson one in the final minute, all of which could have either tied the game or put Golden State ahead.
Harrison Barnes had 23 points for the Mavericks, who have won five of six. It was just the second time Dallas has beaten Golden State in their past 19 meetings, the other coming on Dec. 30, 2015 — one of only nine games the Warriors lost that regular season.
Golden State has lost four of six and dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season.
An 8-0 Mavs run early in the fourth quarter, capped by Dwight Powell's three-point play, gave Dallas its first lead since early in the third quarter, 93-92, with 9:18 to play.
Jonas Jerebko hit a 3-pointer to regain the lead for Golden State, then Thompson made a short jumper and a 3 for a 100-96 lead. But the Mavericks hung tough and Dorian Finney-Smith's fast-break layup put Dallas back up 107-106 with 1:45 remaining.
Dallas, a 76 percent free throw-shooting team for the season, struggled in going 22 of 34 at the line, but Doncic came through when it mattered most.
Without Curry (left groin strain) and Green (right toe sprain), the Warriors got valuable contributions from reserves Quinn Cook and Damion Lee, the latter playing on a two-way contract. Cook scored 15 points and Lee a season-high 13.
Lee had 11 first-half points, the same amount he had scored in 24 minutes of action all season prior to Saturday.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said before the game he wouldn't hesitate to insert either of his two-way contract players "to give us some juice," and Lee entered late in the first quarter. His 3 with 1:42 left in the quarter marked the first points scored by a Warriors player other than Durant or Thompson.
Lee added eight more, including two 3s, in a 22-11 second-quarter run that gave Golden State a 44-37 lead. The Warriors led 59-57 at halftime.
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