Doncic scores 51 as Dallas NBA win streak reaches six
WASHINGTON
Luka Doncic scored 51 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks to their sixth victory in a row while the Brooklyn Nets stretched their NBA win streak to 11 on Dec. 31.
Doncic added nine assists, six rebounds, four steals and a blocked shot in a maestro performance for the Mavericks in a 126-125 victory at San Antonio.
“I’m exhausted,” Doncic said. “Our defense wasn’t great. At the end we got a couple stops. Overall we win the game and that’s it.”
The 23-year-old Slovenian guard sank two free throws with 4.1 seconds remaining for the last Dallas points, then grabbed a rebound after the Spurs’ Tre Jones missed a tying free throw attempt with 2.1 seconds remaining to seal the Mavs’ triumph.
It was the third 50-point effort in five games for NBA scoring leader Doncic, who was at a loss to explain his high-point nights of the season.
“I don’t know,” Doncic said. “Some games they are going to double [cover] me, some games they are going to let me run the pick and roll. I just accept the coverage and go from there.”
Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving scored 28 points and Kevin Durant added 23 to spark the Nets to a 123-106 victory at Charlotte, extending their win streak to 11.
The Nets improved to 24-12 and moved into second place in the Eastern Conference, becoming only the second club this season to reach 24 wins.
At the other end of the spectrum, the Minnesota Timberwolves suffered their sixth straight defeat, a humbling 116-104 home loss to league-worst Detroit (10-29).
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 28 points to lead the Pistons while Anthony Edwards netted 30 in a losing cause.
Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid achieved his fifth career triple double with 16 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in the 76ers’ 115-96 triumph at Oklahoma City.
