Dort hot in overtime to lead Thunder past Mavericks 120-114
Feb 2, 2022, 6:24 AM | Updated: 9:55 pm
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) shouts at referee Jonathan Taylor, right, looking for a foul to be called as Oklahoma City Thunder's Luguentz Dort (5) and Jalen Brunson (13) look on in the second half of a NBA basketball game in Dallas, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
DALLAS (AP) — Lu Dort scored 30 points, including 14 straight for Oklahoma City in overtime, and rookie Tre Mann added a career-best 29 as the Thunder beat the Dallas Mavericks 120-114 on Wednesday night.
The Thunder won their second consecutive game for their first winning streak since taking three straight Dec. 18-22. They avoided a four-game sweep that would have been the first for the Mavericks in the season series since they went 4-0 against the Seattle SuperSonics in 2006-07.
Dort scored 14 of Oklahoma City’s 17 points in OT and finished with his second 30-point game of the season. He had one in his previous two seasons.
“In the biggest part of the game, he had his foot on the gas and closed it out for us,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
Luka Doncic had 40 points, one short of his season high, and 10 assists for the Mavericks in the opener of a six-game homestand — their longest of the season. Reggie Bullock had 23 points off the bench and Jalen Brunson added 20.
Dallas has dropped consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 13-25, falling to the team with the NBA’s worst record (Orlando) on Sunday and to the 14th-place team in the West (Oklahoma City). The loss also snapped an eight-game home winning streak.
“They just played harder than we did,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “When it got tight there, we started to play better. We put ourselves in a position like Orlando: Someone had to make a shot — someone did. We just couldn’t get the stop on the other end.”
A pair of Thunder players had double-doubles: Josh Giddey with 14 points and 10 assists, and Darius Bazley with 13 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.
After Kenrich Williams dunked for Oklahoma City on the first possession of overtime, Dort scored the next 14 Thunder points for a 119-112 lead.
Dort went into play averaging 2.4 3-pointers per game and hit 6 of 10 from behind the arc.
The Thunder saw a game-high 12-point lead 20 seconds into the fourth quarter slowly dwindle away with Bullock’s right-corner 3 giving Dallas a 103-101 lead with 8.5 seconds left in regulation. But Oklahoma City sent the game to overtime on Williams’ layup with 7.5 seconds to go thanks to a pinpoint pass from Giddey, followed by Doncic missing on a 28-foot 3-point shot at the buzzer.
“We drew up a play,” Giddey said. “I disregarded it as I saw Luka’s back turned. Me and K-Rich made eye contact, and I found him.”
Doncic took the blame for Dallas.
“This game is on me,” he said. “Two poor decisions by me the last two possessions (of regulation). Shouldn’t happen.”
Each team played without one of its top players — Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Dallas’ Kristaps Porzingis.
WHEN YOU’RE HOT
The Thunder went into play last in the NBA in field goal percentage (41.6%) and 3-point percentage (31.1%). They shot 47.7% overall and a season-best 45.9% from long distance.
TIP-INS
Thunder: Outrebounded Dallas 50-39. … Their oldest starter was Mamadi Diakite, making his first start of the season and the second of his 24-game career. Diakite had two points and 10 rebounds in 18 minutes.
Mavericks: Sixth man Tim Hardaway Jr., who broke his left foot on Jan. 25, underwent surgery Tuesday in Indianapolis. … Dallas outscored the Thunder 21-8 in points off turnovers.
UP NEXT
Thunder: At the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday for the middle game of a three-game road trip.
Mavericks: Host the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
