MAXI KLEBER

Dallas is sitting Kyrie Irving and four other regulars against Chicago in a game with draft implications and with the Mavericks facing postseason elimination if they lose.

Luka Doncic scored 41 points in his NBA-leading fifth triple-double, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Golden State Warriors 116-113 in the first meeting of last season’s Western Conference finalists.

Vlatko Cancar hit a buzzer-beater from near midcourt when the final 2 seconds of the first half were replayed after the break, and the outmanned Denver Nuggets went on to beat the Dallas Mavericks 98-97.

Luka Doncic had 41 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds, setting up three 3-pointers in overtime to send the Dallas Mavericks to a 129-125 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

Stephen Curry scored 31 points, Andrew Wiggins added 27 while posterizing Luka Doncic on a dunk and the Golden State Warriors beat the Dallas Mavericks 109-100 for a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.

Devin Booker scored 28 points, Deandre Ayton added 20 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Dallas Mavericks 110-80 night to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.

The Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat are the top seeds in the playoffs and at the moment, they look like it coming off impressive performances.

Deandre Ayton scored 25 points, Devin Booker added 23 and the top-seeded Phoenix Suns rolled to a 121-114 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Rudy Gobert gave Utah the lead with an alley-oop dunk with 11.0 seconds left and the Jazz held off the Dallas Mavericks 100-99 on Saturday in Game 4 to tie the first-round series.

Jalen Brunson scored 31 points playing with a bruised back and the Dallas Mavericks — without the injured Luka Doncic — beat the Utah Jazz 126-118 on Thursday night to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round playoff series.

The Dallas Mavericks are buying time to get Luka Doncic involved in their first-round series against Utah after winning Game 2 at home without their star.

Jalen Brunson scored a career-high 41 points, Maxi Kleber had 25 with eight of Dallas’ playoff-record 22 made 3-pointers and the Mavericks won Game 2 against Utah 110-104 to even the first-round series.

Donovan Mitchell scored 30 of his 32 points after halftime, Bojan Bogdanovic finished with 26 and the Utah Jazz opened the playoffs with a 99-93 victory over Dallas.

Luka Doncic strained his left calf in Dallas’ 130-120 win over San Antonio in what turned out to be a meaningless regular-season finale, putting the superstar’s status in question for the playoff-bound Mavericks.

Luka Doncic scored 32 points and matched a season high with 15 assists to help the Dallas Mavericks defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 118-112.

Spencer Dinwiddie made a 3-pointer at the buzzer against his former team, giving the Dallas Mavericks a 113-111 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

Luka Doncic returned from a hamstring scare to hit a tying 3-pointer with a 1:21 left, Spencer Dinwiddie made the winner with nine seconds to play and the Dallas Mavericks spoiled Kevin Garnett’s special day by beating the Boston Celtics 95-92 on Sunday.

Dorian Finney-Smith hit a 3-pointer from the right corner with 3.3 seconds left and the Dallas Mavericks, playing without All-Star guard Luka Doncic, overcame a 19-point deficit for the second time this week to beat the Sacramento Kings 114-113 on Saturday.

Luka Doncic scored 41 points and the Dallas Mavericks beat Golden State for the second time in five days, holding off the Warriors 122-113 on Thursday night after a huge fourth-quarter rally for the victory in California.

Luka Doncic had 49 points and 15 rebounds and the Dallas Mavericks never trailed in a 125-118 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night, their sixth victory in seven games.

Luka Doncic scored 28 of his career-high 51 points in the first quarter, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Los Angeles Clippers 112-105.

Luka Doncic had 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in his 40th career triple-double, and the Dallas Mavericks used a second-half rally to rout Memphis 112-85 and end the Grizzlies’ winning streak at 11 games.

Luka Doncic scored 26 points and the Dallas Mavericks celebrated before a ceremony to retire Dirk Nowitzki’s number by beating cold-shooting Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors 99-82 on Wednesday night.

Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points and the Utah Jazz beat the COVID-19-depleted Dallas Mavericks 120-116.

Rookie Austin Reaves swished a 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds left in overtime to give the Los Angeles Lakers a 107-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 30 points, Luka Dončić had 26 in his return to the Dallas lineup, and the Mavericks defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 112-104 in overtime.

Mikal Bridges and Devin Booker each scored 19 points, Chris Paul added 18 points and 14 assists and the Phoenix Suns ran their winning streak to 11, rallying to beat the Dallas Mavericks 112-104 on Friday night.

Devin Booker scored 24 points, Deandre Ayton had 19 points and 13 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns ran their winning streak to 10 games, beating the Dallas Mavericks 105-98.

Kawhi Leonard tied his playoff career high with 45 points and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Dallas Mavericks 104-97 on Friday night, forcing a Game 7 in the first postseason series in NBA history with the road team winning the first six games.

Luka Doncic scored 42 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. hit two free throws with eight seconds left, and the Dallas Mavericks edged the Los Angeles Clippers 105-100 to take a 3-2 lead in the first-round playoff series.

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have combined to carry Los Angeles on the road again, and the Clippers are back in control of the first-round series with Dallas.

Kawhi Leonard scored 36 points, Paul George added 29 and the Los Angeles Clippers spoiled Luka Doncic’s home playoff debut, beating the Dallas Mavericks 118-108 to get back in the first-round playoff series.

Luka Doncic scored 39 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. added 28 and the Dallas Mavericks again outshot the NBA’s best 3-point team in a 127-121 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers to take a 2-0 lead in the first-round playoff series.

Luka Doncic scored 31 points and the Dallas Mavericks outshot the NBA’s leading team from 3-point range, beating the Los Angeles Clippers 113-103 on Saturday in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series.

Luka Doncic had 18 points and 13 assists and the Dallas Mavericks overcame a 17-point deficit for a 108-93 win over Los Angeles in Lakers star Anthony Davis’ second game back from a long injury absence.

Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic celebrates after sinking a three-point basket in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors in Dallas, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)DALLAS – Luka Doncic couldn't top Stephen Curry's shoulder shimmy, or the second-best scoring night of the Golden State star's career. Doncic tied his career high with 42 points in a scoring duel with Curry, leading the Mavericks to an entertaining 134-132 win over the Warriors on Saturday. The duel between Curry and Doncic got going when they traded 3-pointers late in the first half. They did it again early in the second half, when Doncic hit another one after a Golden State turnover.

Dallas Mavericks guard Josh Richardson (0) defends against Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) in the first half during an NBA basketball game, Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, in Dallas. Booker hit a 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds left in his return and the Suns rallied past the Dallas Mavericks for the second straight game, winning 109-108 on Monday night. Booker finished with 24 points, 20 in the second half, and 31 minutes. Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said his team was aware it had a foul to give on the Suns’ winning possession. “There’s not going to be any finger-pointing.”TIP-INSSuns: Ayton scored only two points in the second half.

Chicago Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen (24) shoots over Dallas Mavericks center Willie Cauley-Stein (33) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)DALLAS – Lauri Markkanen had 29 points and 10 rebounds, Garrett Temple scored 15 of his season-high 21 points in the second quarter and the Chicago Bulls ended a four-game losing streak with a 117-101 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Markkanen, in his second game back after missing seven games because of COVID-19 protocols, was 10 of 19 from the field while recording season highs in points and rebounds. Mavericks: Dallas travel to the Raptors' temporary home in Tampa, Florida, on Monday in the second back-to-back of the season. The Mavericks lost at Chicago in the first game of their other back-to-back before winning at Houston.

The league's general managers met Monday to discuss the virus situation, with involvement from the National Basketball Players Association. The Celtics would have been without seven players for virus-related issues for that game. Another three Heat players are on the injury list, raising the question if they will have the eight required players to start games. The two new postponements means four games so far have been called off due to virus-related matters. Philadelphia played at home against Denver on Saturday with seven players — eight were available — because of a combination of virus issues and injuries.

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic reacts to a missed shot against the Denver Nuggets during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)DENVER – Luka Doncic came within one rebound of his second straight triple-double, finishing with 38 points and 13 assists to lead the Dallas Mavericks over the Denver Nuggets 124-117 in overtime Thursday night. Doncic sat out Sunday’s loss to Chicago and responded with his first triple-double of the season against Houston on Monday. Nikola Jokic scored 20 of his 38 points after halftime and grabbed 11 rebounds for Denver. Denver got within three on a 3-pointer from Jokic, but Doncic scored four straight to ice it for the Mavericks.

For the first time since 1990, the Dallas Mavericks are going to the playoffs without Dirk Nowitzki on the roster. The German great retired after last season, officially passing the torch as leader of the Mavs to Doncic the Slovene who nearly averaged a 30-point triple-double in just his second NBA season. So, no, he hasnt seen what the NBA playoffs are like. Behind Doncic, they only assembled the greatest year in NBA history in terms of offensive efficiency. He can make those incredible plays.And now Doncic gets the chance to make those plays on the NBAs best stage: The playoffs.

Brook Lopez scored a season-high 34 points for the Bucks, who have already clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Doncic's final assist was a between-the-legs pass to Maxi Kleber for a three-point play and a 133-128 lead. The foul that sent Doncic to the line was originally called as the sixth on Antetokounmpo. Middleton's three-point play with 1.9 seconds left in the half put Milwaukee up 71-62. Mavericks: Play Utah on Monday.

Harden made 1 of 2 free throws before Trey Burke made a 3-pointer to get the Mavericks within 3 with about 15 seconds left in OT. Harden made 1 of 2 free throws after that, Burke missed a 3, and Harden got the rebound to secure the victory. Houston scored the next eight points, with the last five from Harden, to take a 147-143 lead. Harden cut the lead again seconds later with a 3-pointer with 40 seconds to go. Covington got the Rockets within two points with two free throws.