The Dallas Maverickswith an impressive Luka Doncićwon this Sunday at the home of the milwaukee bucks (112-118)who lost second place in the Eastern Conference to the Boston Celtics.
Doncic scored a decisive double-double of 32 points8 rebounds, 15 assists and 3 steals.
Dwight Powell (22 points and 13 rebounds), Reggie Bullock (16 points and 7 rebounds) and Jalen Bruson (15 points) accompanied the Slovenian star.
For the reigning NBA champions, Giannis Antetokounmpo (28 points and 10 rebounds)Jrue Holiday (20 points and 9 assists) and Bobby Portis (17 points and 8 rebounds) were the best.
The Spanish Serge Ibaka he had no minutes on the Bucks.
After a resounding defeat on Friday against Los Angeles Clippers (119-153) in which none of their stars played, the Bucks lost again this Sunday with their figures on the court but in a bad game by Khris Middleton (11 points on 3-for-14 shooting)
For its part, the Mavericks are still on the lookout for third place in the West held by the Golden State Warriors.
Doncic and the Mavericks strike at the end
Those from Milwaukee began with two triples from Holiday and another from Lopez, but 4 points from Doncic and 8 more from Powell put the score at 13-15 midway through the first quarter.
After a somewhat slow stretch of the match, in one minute the visitors hit a triple, signed by Bullock, and the locals responded with three more, two from Portis and one from Connaughtonwhich made it 33-25 at the end of the first quarter.
A motivated Lopez on the rebound and an Antetokounmpo who was beginning to wake up in the second quarter they stopped the visitors for the moment (41-35 with 7.45 for the break).
However, the Mavericks reacted and tied the game (48-48 with 3.26 to go) with a triple by Dinwiddie assisted by Doncic.
After a fairly even first half, these two names allowed him to reach the Mavericks with an advantage at halftime (48-53) after a new triple from Dinwiddie and a layup from Doncic.
Powell kept attacking the rim a Bucks that seemed stuck in the resumption (57-66 with 9.48 on the clock).
Nevertheless, between Holiday and Connaughton narrowed the difference for those from Milwaukeewho with a mate from Antetokounmpo were already on the heels of the Mavericks (71-72 with 6.50 to play).
Jason Kidd called time out to reorganize the Mavericks and, although the Bucks came to take control (81-76 with 3.40 to go), those from Dallas closed the fourth ahead with the irruption of Davis Bertans supporting Doncic (87-90).
The game continued in a constant give and take: Middleton and Portis once again gave the locals the advantage, but Doncic responded immediately (91-93 with 9.04 to go).
From there, the Dallas team pressed the accelerator, with Doncic and Powell leading the offense, and finally surrendered to the Bucks who, despite the difference in the score, They gritted their teeth until the end in front of some Mavericks who gave them a break.