Luka Doncic's Dominance Leads Mavericks Past Trae Young, Hawks
The Dallas Mavericks earned a 122-116 road win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday at State Farm Arena.
The 9-13 Mavs broke a six-game losing streak thanks in part to point guard Luka Doncic's 27 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis added 24 points and 11 rebounds.
The 10-11 Hawks lost their second straight game despite a 35-point, 12-rebound effort from big man John Collins. Trae Young and Kevin Huerter each scored 21 points, and they also combined for 19 assists.
Dallas led by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter, but Atlanta cut the deficit to three on two occasions in the final minute after a few Young buckets.
However, Dallas made enough free throws down the stretch to hold off the Hawks and seal the much-needed victory.
Notable Performances
Mavericks PG Luka Doncic: 27 points, 14 assists, 8 rebounds
Mavericks PF/C Kristaps Porzingis: 24 points, 11 rebounds
Mavericks SG Tim Hardaway Jr.: 22 points, 4 rebounds
Hawks PG Trae Young: 21 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds
Hawks PF John Collins: 35 points, 12 rebounds
Hawks SG Kevin Huerter: 21 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds
Doncic's Near Triple-Double Ends Dallas' Losing Streak
It's been an unusually ugly season for the Mavs, who find themselves four games under .500 after making the playoffs last year. Injuries to numerous members of the rotation haven't helped, but the team's recent six-game skid was still surprising considering one of the league's best players in Doncic is running the show.
On Wednesday, Doncic's brilliance was too much for Atlanta to handle, and that finally stopped the losing streak.
He turned defense into offense early, stealing the ball and finding Josh Richardson for an easy two:
Doncic later put the spin cycle on Danilo Gallinari before this mid-range shot:
The superstar nailed a three-pointer at the halftime buzzer to finish the first two quarters with 17 points and pull Dallas to within three:
Doncic set up a poster dunk for Porzingis when he got a steal, streaked down the court, sliced through the lane and found a cutting KP, who finished the slam on Hawks center Clint Capela:
Doncic and the Mavs' efforts enabled them to go up 111-96 in the fourth. Young, Collins and the Hawks didn't make the rest of the game easy for Dallas, but the cushion the Mavs built before the home stretch enabled them to leave Atlanta with the win.
Close But No Cigar for Collins-Young-Huerter Trio
The Hawks had no answers for the Mavericks' offense, leading to their demise Wednesday.
However, John Collins did all he could in the loss, leading all players in scoring and rebounding.
His excellent rapport with Young continued to take shape, as he finished lobs from the point guard with two-handed slams:
Collins even got going from long range, knocking down a three from the top of the arc:
The ex-Wake Forest star connected with Young once again in the fourth quarter, finishing another lob for a fast-break dunk:
As for Young, the point guard continued to make three-pointers from way downtown, like this second-quarter shot:
Young, who was largely cold until the end of the game, nearly willed the Hawks to victory himself, hitting a deep three to pull Atlanta within three:
Meanwhile, Huerter notched a double-double, finishing with 21 points and 10 assists. The silky smooth guard stopped some early bleeding after a 13-4 Mavs run to start the game with this mid-range shot en route to 13 points and four assists in the first two quarters:
He even got in on the lob game with Collins, finding his teammate for a layup:
The Hawks ultimately fell short, but the future is bright in Atlanta thanks in large part to this trio.
What's Next?
Both teams will play at home on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The Mavericks will host the Golden State Warriors for a two-game set at American Airlines Center. The second matchup will take place Saturday at 8:30.
The Hawks will play the Utah Jazz.
