LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Luka Doncic delivered a 41-point triple-double to power the Dallas Mavericks to a 116-113 victory over National Basketball Association champion Golden State Warriors in a rematch of last season’s Western Conference finals on Tuesday.
Dallas’ Slovenian star added 12 rebounds and 12 assists in the victory — his 51st career triple-double and his fifth this season.
“It’s getting boring,” joked Mavericks coach Jason Kidd.
“I mean, let’s see something different. Maybe do it with his left hand.”
The Mavs, who fell to the Warriors in five games in last season’s conference finals, needed every bit of the “Luka Magic.”
Although they jumped to a quick 23-6 lead, the Warriors had cut the deficit to one point at halftime thanks in large part to the efforts of their bench, who outscored the Mavs reserves, 43-29.
Doncic scored 13 points in the third quarter, but the Mavs still couldn’t shake the Warriors, the lead changing hands six times in the action-packed fourth that ended with the Mavs snapping a four-game losing streak.
Stephen Curry scored 32 points for Golden State, including a three-pointer over Maxi Kleber for a 110-108 lead with 2:09 to play.
But Doncic fed Tim Hardaway for a three-pointer and blocked a Curry attempt before teammate Josh Green banked in a shot and the Mavericks took the lead for good.
With 10.1 seconds remaining and the Warriors down by two points Curry was whistled for traveling.
Dorian Finney-Smith then sank a free throw for Dallas before Golden State sharp-shooter Klay Thompson missed a three-pointer that could have tied it with 2.6 seconds remaining.
