The Dallas Mavericks can also win without Luka Doncic – even if it requires a real feat including a 19-point comeback and game winner from Dorian Finney-Smith. Meanwhile, the Heat sideline Joel Embiid and the Wagner brothers shine but don’t stand a chance.
Dallas Mavericks (39-25) – Sacramento Kings (24-42) 114:113 (BOXSCORE)
- Neither Dorian Finney-Smith nor most Mavs fans expected this water shower. The latter because Dallas stumbled extremely without Luka Doncic and were now 19 points behind. Not Finney-Smith, because after his game winner he had already received a first shower from his teammates as the icing on a wild comeback. But Jalen Brunson sneaked up again and did DFS wet a second time.
- But from the beginning: Doncic was given a break due to a toe injury, but shouldn’t be out any longer. Without the franchise star, the Mavs engine stuttered violently on offense, but there was also a lack of intensity and a plan on defense against Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox. The Kings star duo did what they wanted in the zone (38-14 zone points in the first half) and Sacramento led by 19 points.
- Only after the change of sides did the home side show more intensity in defense and made life a little more difficult for Sabonis with double teams. However, it wasn’t until the end of the third quarter for the Mavs to creep in, and just minutes into the fourth round, Spencer Dinwiddie gave the Mavs their first lead of the night.
- The newcomer from Trade Deadline made the best play of his fledgling Mavs career. He scored 13 of his 36 points (11/22 FG, plus 7 assists) in the fourth quarter. But Fox in particular usually found a suitable answer. The Kings guard stopped his career high and caused enormous problems for Dallas with 44 points (18/31 FG, plus 6 assists). Sabonis finished the game with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists.
- From the free-throw line, Fox equalized with 12 seconds left after Dallas had regained the lead with an 8-0 run just before. In the last attack, Brunson then served Finney-Smith with one nice drive and kick in the right corner – swish! Finney-Smith’s fifth treble of the evening put Dallas in front again 3.3 seconds before the buzzer, Harrison Barnes’ attempt at a reply, a deep well-defended three-pointer, failed and Dallas celebrated the win.
- Finney-Smith finished the game with 17 points (5/11 threes), Brunson contributed 23 points and 6 assists. Josh Green also made a good showing from the bench, the youngster grabbed the first double-double of his career (12 and 12 boards). Maxi Kleber (ankle) could not participate again. The Kings, on the other hand, are sure of a negative record at the end of the season – for the 16th time in a row!
Charlotte Hornets (32-33) – San Antonio Spurs (24-40) 123:117 (BOXSCORE)
- It’s bewitched. The Spurs have lost four straight games since Coach Gregg Popovich set his sights on setting the all-time record for most wins by a head coach. Ultimately, Terry Rozier’s 31 points and the Hornets’ incredibly sure hand from the free-throw line were too much for the visitors from Texas.
- Between San Antonio and Charlotte, the lead changed back and forth a total of 34 times over the 48 minutes — an NBA season record, according to the Hornets. Rozier gave the Hornets a slight advantage with one of his 6 three-pointers (in 8 attempts) in the middle of the final section, and the home side couldn’t take it anymore. Because: Charlotte sank 14 of 14 free throws in the fourth quarter and thus brought victory over the finish line.
- Neither Rozier nor LaMelo Ball nor Cody Martin showed any weakness from the line in the final stages and prevented San Antonio from winning the game despite a strong performance by Dejounte Murray (10 of 25 points in the fourth quarter, plus 10 assists and 9 rebounds). could turn again. Keldon Johnson had previously taken on the brunt of the Spurs offense (33, 14/24 FG), Jakob Pöltl contributed 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks.
- In addition to Hornets top scorer Rozier, who also distributed 6 assists, LaMelo was with 24 points (4/9 Dreier), 8 rebounds and 7 assists is an important guarantee for success. Martin threw in 12 points, while Montrezl Harrell and PJ Washington each scored 15 points. Charlotte reclaimed ninth place East from the Hawks.
Miami Heat (43-22) – Philadelphia 76ers (39-24) 99:82 (BOXSCORE)
- The top team in the Eastern Conference kept their closest pursuer at bay. On the one hand, Miami kept MVP candidate Joel Embiid relatively well in check, on the other hand, the Sixers, who spared James Harden (thigh) in the second part of the back-to-back, with a season low of 82 points. In addition, Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro (21 each) scored well and the eleventh win from the past 13 games was perfect.
- Already in the first quarter, Miami presented the Sixers with enormous problems with its defensive concept. In Harden’s absence, the Heat sent Double, sometimes even triple teams on Embiid, so as not to let the center get into a rhythm. Philly scored just 14 points in the first quarter and trailed by up to 20 points in the second period.
- Tyrese Maxey (17), Tobias Harris (16) and Embiid, who increasingly found his way to the line in the third quarter, made sure that things got tight again after the break. At the start of the final section, the guests were on -5, but then the heat defense was too much again. Philadelphia only scored 3/18 from the field, Miami pulled away again with a 12:2 run and won clearly in the end. Embiid finished the game with 22 points and 15 boards, but remained pale from the field (4/15 FG, 0/6 trebles, 14/14 FT).
- Butler also had some problems with efficiency (6/15 FG), but collected 5 assists and 4 rebounds. Bam Adebayo (6 and 10 rebounds) played strong defense, in addition to Herro, Caleb Martin (14) and Max Strus (9) also provided important scoring in the fourth quarter. As the East leader, Miami has extended its lead over the second-placed Sixers to three games.
