Doncic leads Mavs over Jazz, Nets face Harden injury fear
’ Luka Doncic (77) in action against Utah Jazz during their NBA game at American Airlines Centre in Dallas, Texas, on Monday. Reuters
Slovenian star Doncic spearheaded a superb offensive performance for the Mavs in a dominant 111-103 victory over the Western Conference leaders, who had been chasing a 10th straight win.
Doncic’s tally included six three-pointers, while the 22-year-old prodigy also hauled down nine rebounds with eight assists.
It was a hugely impressive fifth consecutive victory for the Mavs, who improved to 28-21 to remain in seventh place in the West.
Dallas had been jolted by confirmation just hours before tip-off that Porzingis would miss Monday’s game with a sprained right wrist.
But the Mavs made light of the reshuffle with Dorian Finney-Smith weighing in with 23 points -- including five from outside the arc -- and Jalen Brunson adding 20 off the bench.
Josh Richardson finished with 17 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. 16 points.
Dallas steadily took control after edging into a 27-25 lead at the end of the first quarter, and pulled away decisively by outscoring the Jazz 37-27 in the third period.
Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said his team had been determined to ask more questions of Utah after suffering a 120-101 defeat to the Western Conference pace-setters in January.
HARDEN SCARE FOR NETS: Elsewhere on Monday, Kyrie Irving delivered a 40-point masterpiece as the Brooklyn Nets won a thriller against the New York Knicks in the “Battle of the Big Apple.”
A wild encounter saw the lead change hands 15 times, and Brooklyn clawed back a 14-point second quarter deficit to grab the win.
But the Nets’ victory celebrations were muted by the early exit of star James Harden, who played just four minutes before leaving the game with tightness in his right hamstring.
The Nets are already without Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant, Tyler Johnson and Landry Shamet.
Nets coach Steve Nash said the team had withdrawn Harden as a precaution, and said there was no indication yet of a long-term injury problem. A strength test carried out in the locker room had shown no sign of an injury, Nash added.
“There was just an awareness that something’s not right in his hammy,” Nash said. “His strength tests were normal.”
