Luka Doncic ensure Mavericks beat Wizards 125-124 in a thriller

Luka Doncic ensure Mavericks beat Wizards 125-124 in a thriller

Bradley Beal and Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic broke his longest stretch without a triple-double as he led the Dalals Mavericks past Washington Wizards, with 31 points, career-high 20 assists and 12 rebounds. Dorain Finney Smith clutch 3-pointer in the final seconds ensured Mavericks reach #5 in the Western Conference, leaving behind LA Lakers. 

Luka Doncic had gone 21 games without a triple-double, his longest stretch since needing 44 games to get his first as a rookie in 2018-19. Dallas led by 18 points in the first half, then trailed by eight to start the fourth quarter. There were four ties in the last four-plus minutes. 

Luka Doncic’s triple double ensures Mavericks beat Wizards 

Russell Westbrook had 42 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Wizards, who lost for just the third time in 15 games in a surge that has put them in position to make the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference. 

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Bradley Beal scored 29 points while breaking three ties in the final two minutes, the last time on a pair of free throws for a 124-122 lead with 26 seconds remaining. Finney-Smith then hit his sixth 3-pointer in nine attempts. He scored 22. 

Beal missed an open 3-pointer at the top of the key just before the buzzer, and Doncic grabbed the rebound before tossing the ball over his head behind him to avoid a foul call as the buzzer sounded. 

Doncic was again without European partner Kristaps Porzingis, out with right knee soreness after coming out of a game in Detroit two nights earlier. Coach Rick Carlisle said Porzingis would miss the second night of a back-to-back against Sacramento Kings. 

Also read: LaMelo Ball returns; helps Charlotte Hornets beat Detroit Pistons 107-94