LUKA Doncic delivered his first triple-double of the season, leading the Dallas Mavericks to a commanding 137-101 victory over the Washington Wizards on Thursday night. Doncic finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, marking his 78th career regular-season triple-double.
Kyrie Irving also had a stellar performance, scoring a game-high 25 points for the Mavericks, who have now won 10 of their last 11 games. Former Wizards center Daniel Gafford contributed 16 points off the bench.
Malcolm Brogdon and Carlton Carrington each scored 16 and 15 points, respectively, for the Wizards, who tied a franchise record with their 16th consecutive loss.
The Mavericks dominated from beyond the arc, hitting 20 of 38 three-pointers (52.6%), while the Wizards struggled, making only 13 of 40 (32.5%) attempts. Dallas also controlled the boards, out-rebounding Washington 64-48.
Dallas led by 18 points at halftime and came out strong in the third quarter, with Irving and Dereck Lively II igniting a 9-2 run to push the lead to 77-52. Washington attempted a comeback, with Alex Sarr’s 3-pointer cutting the deficit to 83-69, but Irving and Gafford led another 12-0 run to extend the Mavericks’ lead to 95-69.
Gafford’s five consecutive points early in the fourth quarter stretched the advantage to 110-78, and Dallas led by as many as 42 points late in the game.
The Wizards were without key players Kyle Kuzma, who is nursing a left rib sprain, and Corey Kispert, who is recovering from a left ankle sprain.
Washington initially took a brief 6-3 lead, but the Mavericks responded with a 15-0 run. Spencer Dinwiddie’s three-pointer gave Dallas a nine-point lead at the end of the first quarter. Klay Thompson added two early threes in the second, and Doncic’s jumper pushed the lead to 20. P.J. Washington’s free throws gave the Mavericks their largest lead of the half, 53-31.
Jordan Poole’s three-pointer pulled the Wizards within 15, but Irving finished the quarter with five unanswered points, giving Dallas a 68-50 lead at the break. In the first half, the Mavericks shot 12 of 22 (54.5%) from three-point range, while the Wizards were just 5 of 20 (25%).
irst half, the Mavericks shot 12 of 22 (54.5%) from three-point range, while the Wizards were just 5 of 20 (25%).
