Luka Scores 26 As The Dallas Mavericks Rally Past The Grizzlies To End Skid
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — The Dallas Mavericks' three-game losing skid came to an end in Memphis. Luka Doncic scored 26 points and Kristaps Porzingis added 19 as the Mavs used a 4th-quarter rally to defeat the Grizzlies 104-96 on Wednesday night.
Reggie Bullock had 15 points for the Mavericks, who surpassed 100 points for only the second time in the past six games.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 26 points, while Dillon Brooks added 15 points before being ejected late in the fourth quarter. Desmond Bane finished with 14 points. Memphis' five-game winning streak ended.
"We've just got to play better," Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. "But I thought the urgency in making plays like we've done in recent games wasn't there."
Dallas held Memphis to 40% shooting overall, including 9 of 31 from outside the arc.
"We're playing at a high level on the defensive end," Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. "Offense is starting to come slowly. This is a good sign tonight shooting 48% and not having to take 40-plus 3s"
Dallas held a 76-75 lead entering the fourth quarter, but unlike in Tuesday night's loss to the Nets — in which the Mavs were held to 13 points in the fourth — Dallas used a 7-0 run to pull ahead and stretched the lead to 100-86 with 2:55 left.
The first half was feisty with plenty of fouls, technicals and wrestling for the ball. There was some pretty good defense, too, as both teams shot less than 45% from the field and about 25% from 3-point range.
As testy as the first half was, things got even worse after halftime. By the end, the officiating crew of John Goble, Sean Corbin and Matt Boland had handed out six technical fouls, including four against Memphis in the final six minutes. Two of those went against Brooks, who had to be restrained as he yelled at officials with 27 seconds remaining.
Kidd and Bullock said the Mavericks talked at halftime about not getting rattled, especially when Doncic got a technical after the close of the second quarter.
"We kept our composure in the fourth when things were getting heated and just tried to stay within the game and keep playing the right way," Bullock said. "It worked out for us."
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
