Luka Doncic returned to the Dallas Mavericks, scoring 39 points, 25 of which came in the second half, to lead his team to a 132-122 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday’s NBA action. In addition to his scoring, Doncic contributed 10 assists and eight rebounds, bouncing back from a missed game due to a sore left quadriceps.
With this win, the Mavericks improved their record to 19-14. Dante Exum played a key role, adding 19 points, while Josh Green scored 18. Dereck Lively II also made a significant contribution with 12 points and 14 rebounds.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd praised the team’s collective effort, both defensively and offensively, acknowledging the challenge of winning in Golden State’s arena.
“It was a great team win,” Kidd said. “It’s hard to win in this building. … Great group win, defensively and the offensively.”
Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 25 points and seven assists. Chris Paul reached a personal milestone, scoring a season-high 24 points and surpassing 22,000 career points, joining an elite group of NBA players. Despite these performances, the Warriors suffered their third consecutive loss, bringing their record to 15-17.
“They make their runs, we make our runs,” Green said. “Our goal is to make sure that we’re able to limit them. … They’re an amazing team, great coach, so we knew it was going to come (down to) us being able to do the little things to close out of the situation.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors Updates
Warriors coach Steve Kerr expressed concern over the team’s lack of collective grit and dedication to winning. Trayce Jackson-Davis had a standout game for the Warriors, scoring a career-high 17 points, while Jonathan Kuminga continued his scoring streak with 16 points and nine rebounds.
“The defense struggled all night,” Kerr said. “I mean, they scored 132 points and we just couldn’t stop them. Offensively, we were fine. You score 122, that should be enough.”
The game saw several momentum shifts. Dallas built a significant lead with a 13-0 run in the second quarter, but Golden State fought back with a 12-0 surge. Doncic’s 14 points in the third quarter helped the Mavericks to maintain their lead.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors Updates
As the game neared its conclusion, Curry and Paul’s back-to-back three-pointers brought the Warriors within striking distance, but the Mavericks held on to secure their win.
The Mavericks’ shooting was notably efficient at 55.7%, while the Warriors managed 45.6%. Kerr acknowledged his team’s defensive struggles, citing it as a reason for their inability to contain the Mavericks’ offense.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors Updates
Dallas was without guard Seth Curry due to illness, and Kyrie Irving continued to be sidelined with a heel contusion. Gary Payton II returned after a 13-game absence for the Warriors, contributing two points in nine minutes.
Looking ahead, the Mavericks will face the Utah Jazz on Monday night, while the Warriors will host the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.
