NBA Top Five Performances, March 27: Luka Doncic’s 25 Points Put Dallas Mavericks On Cruise Control Against Indiana Pacers
TOP PLAYERS OF THE DAY:
A four-game losing streak by the Dallas Mavericks worried many that they may not even make the play-in tournament. Their win against the Indiana Pacers provided temporary relief, thanks to another team-leading performance from Luka Doncic. Doncic had 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists. It was just his fourth game of the season without a single turnover. The highlight of the night was Doncic’s assist to guard Jaden Hardy while stumbling out of bounds.
The Mavericks have been disappointing but remain alive in the Western Conference standings. They are only a half game behind the Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
“I think it was a little bit more relaxed,” coach Jason Kidd said. “Understanding what’s at stake and going through the process of playing games that mean something. Some of us haven’t been in that position before, and you’re starting to see the guys understand what that means.”
OTHERS:
- Khris Middleton’s 34-point performance helped the Milwaukee Bucks defeat the Detroit Pistons without star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
- Nikola Jokic’s triple-double lifted the Denver Nuggets over the Philadelphia 76ers. Jokic had 25 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists to extend Denver’s win streak to four games.
- Immanuel Quickley’s career-high 40 points led the New York Knicks in a blowout victory against the Houston Rockets, widening the gap between them and the Brooklyn Nets.
- Nick Batum had a 24-point performance on 8 of 10 shooting from three-point range in the Los Angeles Clippers’ win over the Chicago Bulls.
Jayden Armant is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He is a student at Howard University. He can be reached at jayden.armant@bison.howard.edu or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.
