Luka Doncic delivered a performance for the ages, notching his 80th career triple-double with a season-high 45 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds to propel the Dallas Mavericks to a 143-133 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night.
Doncic set the tone early, connecting on 9 of his first 11 shots and pouring in 28 points by halftime as Dallas stormed out to a commanding 39-18 lead after a blistering 14-of-19 start from the field. Despite a spirited effort by the Warriors, the Mavericks maintained control in a high-scoring showdown at Chase Center.
Golden State showed resilience, chipping away at the deficit behind Klay Thompson, who caught fire from beyond the arc. Thompson drained seven 3-pointers and tallied 29 points, continuing his strong play against Dallas after his emotional return game in November.
Stephen Curry added 26 points and 10 assists, including a flashy feed to Jonathan Kuminga for a highlight-reel dunk at the end of the third quarter. However, the Warriors struggled to make key defensive stops down the stretch, allowing Dallas to seal the win.
Draymond Green provided an unexpected offensive spark for Golden State, hitting a season-high five 3-pointers en route to 21 points. Andrew Wiggins also contributed a clutch 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter, pulling the Warriors within striking distance, but their rally fell short.
For Dallas, Doncic’s dominance was bolstered by timely contributions from role players. Golden State, dealing with changes to its roster, awaits the arrival of newly acquired Dennis Schroder, whom head coach Steve Kerr believes will be a “perfect fit” alongside Curry in the backcourt.
Regardless, as the Mavericks celebrated a crucial road victory, let’s grade the players for their performances tonight.
Luka Doncic: A+
Stats: 45 PTS, 11 REB, 13 AST, 3 STL, 2 BLK, 3 TO, 1 PF, 16-23 FG, 6-11 3PT, 7-9 FT, +18 +/-, 37:51 MIN
Luka was unstoppable, delivering a near-flawless performance with 45 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds for his 80th career triple-double. He shot an efficient 16-of-23 from the field, dictated the pace, and overwhelmed Golden State’s defense with his combination of scoring and playmaking. Dončić’s early dominance, highlighted by 28 first-half points, set the tone for Dallas and proved too much for the Warriors to handle.
Klay Thompson: A
Stats: 29 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 3 PF, 9-14 FG, 7-11 3PT, 4-5 FT, +21 +/-, 29:25 MIN
Klay delivered a vintage performance, showcasing his elite shooting ability with 29 points in just under 30 minutes. He shot an outstanding 9-of-14 from the field and 7-of-11 from three-point range, displaying his ability to get hot from deep. Beyond his scoring, Thompson contributed 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and a block, demonstrating a well-rounded effort on both ends of the court. With only one turnover, Thompson was efficient and poised, reminding everyone of his value as a two-way star.
Kyrie Irving: A-
Stats: 21 PTS, 3 REB, 8 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 0 PF, 8-16 FG, 1-4 3PT, 4-5 FT, +10 +/-, 35:20 MIN
Kyrie Irving played the perfect supporting role, adding 21 points and 8 assists while shooting 8-of-16 from the field. His ability to break down the Warriors’ defense and create opportunities for others eased the burden on Luka. Although his scoring tapered off in the second half, Irving made timely plays to keep Dallas in control and remained a threat throughout the game.
Quentin Grimes: B
Stats: 14 PTS, 2 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 5-12 FG, 4-8 3PT, 0-0 FT, -11 +/-, 18:35 MIN
Grimes was a solid contributor, scoring 14 points and knocking down four of his eight 3-point attempts. He provided valuable spacing for the Mavericks’ offense but didn’t make much of an impact elsewhere in his 18 minutes.
P.J. Washington: B
Stats: 13 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO, 2 PF, 4-7 FG, 2-4 3PT, 3-4 FT, +20 +/-, 34:48 MIN
Washington chipped in 13 points and 4 rebounds, shooting 4-of-7 from the field. He was efficient and effective in his role, contributing on both ends of the floor and finishing with a game-high +20 in plus-minus.
Daniel Gafford: B
Stats: 10 PTS, 9 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 3 TO, 3 PF, 5-7 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 0 +/-, 16:54 MIN
Gafford brought energy off the bench with 10 points and 9 rebounds, narrowly missing a double-double. His inside presence and finishing ability provided a nice spark, though his three turnovers limited his overall impact.
Dereck Lively II: B-
Stats: 8 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO, 3 PF, 4-4 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-2 FT, +10 +/-, 30:22 MIN
Lively scored 8 points and grabbed 7 rebounds while adding a block and a steal. He was efficient with his touches, going 4-of-4 from the field, but struggled with foul trouble and missed both of his free throws.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper: C+
Stats: 3 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 1-2 FG, 1-2 3PT, 0-0 FT, -10 +/-, 13:12 MIN
Prosper contributed 3 points and 3 rebounds in limited minutes. While he made a 3-pointer and added two assists, his overall impact was minimal as he struggled to stay in rhythm defensively.
Spencer Dinwiddie: C+
Stats: 0 PTS, 3 REB, 4 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 0 PF, 0-2 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, -8 +/-, 21:21 MIN
Dinwiddie failed to score, missing both of his field goal attempts, but did manage 4 assists and 3 rebounds. His playmaking was helpful at times, but he didn’t provide the offensive spark Dallas needed from him.
Jazian Gortman: N/A
Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 0 +/-, 00:44 MIN
Gortman played less than a minute and didn’t register any stats in his brief time on the floor.
Dwight Powell: N/A
Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 0 +/-, 00:44 MIN
Powell also logged under a minute of play and did not contribute to the box score.
Kessler Edwards: N/A
Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 0 +/-, 00:44 MIN
Edwards joined Gortman and Powell with a mere 44 seconds of playing time, failing to make an impact.
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