During Thursday night’s NBA slate, Luka Doncic was injured on a hard fall after Dallas Mavericks led by 27 points. Two incorrect calls were acknowledged in the final seconds. This gave the New Orleans Pelicans their only chance to end their losing streak, reaching 10 consecutive games.
By the midway point of the third quarter, Doncic had scored 31 points. Despite missing him in the fourth quarter, the Mavericks prevailed 111-106 against the Pelicans.
With 4.9 seconds left, the Mavericks led by three points. Before his foot landed out of bounds, Brandon Ingram appeared to have stolen and saved Josh Green’s inbounds pass.
CJ McCollum grabbed the loose ball, but the whistle had been blown. A review was not conducted, so Dallas inbounded again with 3.4 seconds left to play. After a foul with 2.4 seconds left, Spencer Dinwiddie made two free throws to secure the win.
NBA SCORES & NEWS: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks & New Orleans Pelicans Updates
According to crew chief Kevin Scott, Ingram was not out of bounds whenever he made contact with the ball, and the clock ran incorrectly after the whistle. Larry Nance Jr. said players saw the same thing as officials after the game, and Pelicans coach Willie Green said he hasn’t explained the call not being reviewed.
“The players should have decided the game, and they didn’t,” Nance said. “There were two wrongs done. The clock was wrong, and the call was wrong. I just hope we get the same calls at home. That would be lovely.”
Amid wintry weather in Dallas that kept the team in Denver since Tuesday night, New Orleans (26-27) dropped below .500 for the first time this season.
While winding up for a one-handed dunk, Doncic was bumped by Jonas Valanciunas, causing Ingram to knock the ball out of his hand, allowing Doncic to remain in the game. He limped back to the locker room after the break without looking at the Dallas bench after one trip down the court, and screamed in frustration.
“We’ll see how he feels tomorrow,” coach Jason Kidd said. “I think no matter what the score was, he wasn’t coming back.”
NBA SCORES & NEWS: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks & New Orleans Pelicans Updates
Herbert Jones hit a layup with 58 seconds left in the third to cut the 27-point lead down to four after Doncic exited the game with 6:47 remaining. After Reggie Bullock made one of two free throws, Ingram hit a jumper to cut the deficit to three after missing a jumper that would have cut the deficit to two. To avoid a turnover in the backcourt, Dallas called a timeout.
“Looking at the defense, sometimes you can relax with a big lead,” Kidd said. “Understanding the Pelicans are a good team, they’re trying to break a losing streak.”
Throughout the longest losing streak since a 13-game skid before the pandemic halted the season, New Orleans was without All-Star Zion Williamson. With a strained right hamstring, Williamson missed his 16th game.
NBA SCORES & NEWS: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks & New Orleans Pelicans Updates
After Doncic left the game, Spencer Dinwiddie scored 21 points for Dallas, and Josh Green scored nine of his 15 points. As the teams headed into the halftime break in Dallas leading 70-43, Doncic had 27 points, while New Orleans had 25 points off 13 turnovers.
“Obviously, it’s been a hell of a day,” Nance said. “That first half wasn’t us. I don’t need to sit here and make excuses. Obviously hope nothing’s wrong with Luka. Having him out in the second half helped just a little bit.”
