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Luka Doncic scored 53 points in his return to the lineup and Spencer Dinwiddie scored 10 of his 12 in the fourth quarter as the Dallas Mavericks rallied to beat the Detroit Pistons 111-105 on Monday night.
Doncic engaged in a war of words with Pistons assistant coach Jerome Allen that started in the first quarter and continued throughout the game, seemingly motivating him throughout the night.
‘It was his assistant coach, he started yelling at me in the first quarter. They didn’t like it when I responded,” Doncic said after the game. ‘They said ‘play basketball,’ so I played basketball. If they’re going to squeak at me, I’m going to squeak back at them.’
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) is protected by Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren.
Four of Doncic’s five career 50-point games have come this season. He scored a career-high 60 against the New York Knicks in a game that ended in overtime on December 27.
Doncic scored 24 points in the first quarter and 18 in the third. Second in the NBA entering with an average of 33 points per game, he returned after spraining his left ankle three minutes into last Thursday’s game in Phoenix and then missing Saturday’s game in Utah.
Bojan Bogdanovic had 29 points and Saddiq Bey scored 18, including five 3-pointers, for the Pistons, who have lost six of seven.
Doncic gestures on the court in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Pistons
Detroit led by 11 in the third quarter and 84-83 entering the fourth. Dallas opened the period with a 9-2 run with Doncic on the bench, while Dinwiddie scored six points on his first three field goals of the game.
The Pistons shook off a 10-0 deficit nearly three minutes later and took their first lead with 4:41 left in the first quarter. They led 57-53 at halftime.
Bogdanovic scored seven straight points and nine of his 14 in the first half over the final three minutes of the second half.
Doncic scored 18 of Dallas’ first 20 points and 24 of the Mavericks’ 30 in the first quarter, the highest-scoring opening period by an NBA player this season. It was his last quarter with at least 20 points this season, tying Brooklyn guard Kyrie Irving for the most in the NBA.
Doncic dunks the ball as Detroit Pistons guard Alec Burks (5) and forward Bojan Bogdanovic
NETWORKS 121, LAKERS 104
Kyrie Irving had 26 points, seven rebounds and six assists to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a 121-104 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night, who played without LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Patty Mills and Cam Thomas each added 21 points for the Nets, who won their second straight and are 4-6 since Kevin Durant strained a ligament in his right knee.
Lakers coach Darvin Ham said James was experiencing “really significant pain” in his left foot and would be evaluated Tuesday to see if he could play for the New York Knicks that night.
It was a planned day off for Davis, so he didn’t play both ends back-to-back after returning last week from a 20-game absence with a right foot injury.
Thomas Bryant had 18 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, while Russell Westbrook finished with 17 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.
Westbrook now owns one of the top 10 assist totals in NBA history after passing Hall of Famer Gary Payton on Monday.
His 10 assists tonight gave him a career 8,972. He surpassed Payton’s total of 8,966 when he set up Thomas Bryant for a dunk with 42.8 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Russell Westbrook moved to 10th on the NBA’s all-time assists list, passing Gary Payton.
WARRIORS 128, THUNDER 120
Stephen Curry had 38 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds, as Golden State defeated Oklahoma City for its third straight win.
Curry made 8 of 14 three-pointers and 12 of 20 shots overall. Klay Thompson added 28 points and hit six 3-pointers for the Warriors.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 of his 31 points in the second half for the Thunder. Josh Giddey had 21 points and Jalen Williams added 19 for Oklahoma City, which missed a chance to match its season high.
Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) shoots in front of Oklahoma City guard Josh Giddey (3).
MAGIC 119, 76ERS 109
Paolo Banchero had 29 points and 10 rebounds as Orlando rallied from a 21-point first-quarter deficit to beat Philadelphia.
Mo Wagner scored 22 points and younger brother Franz Wagner added 19 for the Magic, who snapped a three-game skid and ended the Sixers’ seven-game winning streak.
Joel Embiid had 30 points and 11 rebounds for Philadelphia, his 27th game this season scoring 30 or more and his ninth in the last 10.
Paolo Banchero #5 dunks during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers
KINGS 118, TIMBER WOLVES 111, AT
De’Aaron Fox had 32 points and Trey Lyles scored eight of his 11 in overtime as Sacramento edged past Minnesota.
Domantas Sabonis had 17 points and 13 rebounds before fouling for the Kings, and Keegan Murray added 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Lyles replaced Sabonis at center and started overtime with a 3-pointer. He dove into Rudy Gobert for a three-point play and opened wide for another slam with 37.8 seconds remaining in overtime for a five-point lead to give the Kings a two-game split of this set after a 117-110 loss on Saturday night. .
Anthony Edwards had 33 points and eight rebounds for the Timberwolves, reaching the 30-point mark for the fifth time in the last six games. Gobert had 19 points and 14 rebounds.
From left to right, Sacramento Kings Keegan Murray (13), Trey Lyles (41), De’Aaron Fox (5) and Harrison Barnes celebrate after the overtime win against the Minnesota Timberwolves
WIZARDS 127, SPURS 106
Deni Avdija scored a career-high 25 points, Bradley Beal added 21 and Washington ended a 22-game losing streak in San Antonio.
Kristaps Porzingis had 17 points and nine rebounds after a fast start for the Wizards, who hadn’t beaten the Spurs on the road since Dec. 11, 1999. Washington has won six in a row for its longest winning streak since a six-game streak. games in 2015.
Keldon Johnson scored 26 points for the Spurs, who have lost six in a row to fall to 2-13 this month.
Deni Avdija of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket during the game against the Spurs
SUNS 114, RAPTORS 106
Mikal Bridges scored 29 points, Deandre Ayton added 22 points and 13 rebounds, and Phoenix pulled away late to beat Toronto.
The Suns won for the sixth time in seven games despite being without All-Star guard Devin Booker for the entire streak.
Chris Paul hit a crucial 3-pointer to put the Suns ahead 106-102 with 1:30 to play. Ayton added a bunt with 51.4 seconds remaining to extend the lead to 108-102.
Paul finished with 19 points and nine assists.
Fred VanVleet had 24 points and nine assists for the Raptors.
Mikal Bridges #25 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball against the Toronto Raptors
PIONEERS 129, FALCONS 125
Damian Lillard scored 42 points, Anfernee Simons hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 34 seconds to play and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Atlanta Hawks 129-125 on Monday night.
Dejounte Murray had 40 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Hawks, who played without star point guard Trae Young.
Lillard added six assists in his fifth 40-point game this month. Jerami Grant scored 22 points and Simons finished with 21, including his game-winning 3-pointer that gave the Trail Blazers a 124-121 lead.
Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers drives to the basket past Aaron Holiday #3