In a showdown of the NBA’s two hottest teams, the Dallas Mavericks put an end to the Houston Rockets’ 11-game winning streak, emerging victorious with a 125-107 decision at the Toyota Center on Monday (PHL).
Luka Doncic equaled his personal best by making nine 3-pointers and concluded the game with an impressive 47 points, to go along 12 rebounds and seven assists as Dallas extended its own winning streak to seven games.
Doncic wasted no time setting the pace, pouring 22 points in the opening quarter to propel Dallas to a 36-24 lead.
Early work for 7??7?? pic.twitter.com/dZvtDjIW8s
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) March 31, 2024
Maintaining his dominance, Doncic closed out the first half with an impressive stat line of 32 points, eight rebounds, and five assists as Dallas took a commanding 66-45 lead, spurred by a strong 19-8 run to close out the second quarter.
The Mavericks’ hot shooting proved to be the difference as they converted 13 /24 attempts for 54.2 percent from beyond the arc, which included an underhanded shot by Doncic from just inside the arc that wowed the Houston crowd.
WHATTTTT 😱 pic.twitter.com/cRLGL7468C
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) April 1, 2024
Despite the Rockets’ efforts to trim the deficit with a late surge in the third quarter, the Mavericks swiftly regained control, extinguishing any hopes of a Houston comeback.
Kyrie Irving contributed 24 points to the Mavericks' victory, while Dante Exum added 13 points and P.J. Washington pitched in 12.
For Houston, Jabari Smith Jr. matched his career-best performance with five three-pointers, leading the team with 28 points. Aaron Holiday contributed 16 points, while Cam Whitmore and Jalen Green scored 13 and 12 points, respectively.
With their latest victory, the Mavericks’ record now stands at 45-29 for the season, placing them tied with the New Orleans Pelicans for fifth in the Western Conference standings.
With just eight games remaining before the playoffs, Dallas is poised for a strong finish to secure an automatic postseason berth.
The Rockets, meanwhile, sit with a 38-36 record, two games behind the 10th spot which is currently occupied by the Golden State Warriors.
