Luka Doncic dominated by scoring 44 points on 17-of-21 shooting as the Dallas Mavericks blew out the Los Angeles Clippers 144-126 in an NBA in-season tournament game on Friday night. Kyrie Irving contributed 27 points for Dallas, as they used a 32-2 run to overcome an 11-point deficit and pull away from the Clippers. The Mavericks outscored the Clippers 47-18 in the second quarter.
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 17 points and Derrick Jones Jr. added a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Mavericks, who got off to a hot 7-2 start to the season.
Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard scored 26 points for the Clippers as they wrapped up an 0-4 road trip and fell to 0-5 on the road this season. It was their first in-season tournament game, while the Mavericks improved to 1-1. Both teams are in West Group B.
In another game, the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Detroit Pistons 114-106, with Joel Embiid leading the way with 33 points and 16 rebounds while Tyrese Maxey racked up 29 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and four steals for the 76ers.
Fred VanVleet’s late 3-pointers helped the Houston Rockets rally from a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the New Orleans Pelicans 104-101 in their in-season tournament game. VanVleet finished with 18 points to secure the Rockets’ fifth consecutive victory.
LeBron James scored 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 122-119 victory over the Phoenix Suns in the NBA in-season tournament opener for both teams. Anthony Davis added 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, while Kevin Durant scored 38 points with nine rebounds for the Suns.
In the Utah Jazz’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Jordan Clarkson and Lauri Markkanen each scored 26 points to help Utah recover and secure a 127-121 victory. Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with a game-high 37 points and added eight assists, while the Jazz snapped a four-game losing streak.
Other teams that won their games in the NBA in-season tournament included the Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Charlotte Hornets, and Sacramento Kings. The tournament provided an exciting display of skill and athleticism, showcasing some of the league’s top talent in intense competition.
–Field Level Media
