Luka Doncic Triple-Double Leads Dallas Mavs' Win Over Memphis Grizzlies With Kyrie Irving Injured
MEMPHIS — It didn't take long for the Dallas Mavericks to encounter their first regular season game without one of their superstars available. Kyrie Irving was sidelined for their 125-110 victory against the Memphis Grizzlies due to a foot sprain. With the win, the Mavs are 3-0 for the first time since the 2004-05 season.
"It's great, man," Doncic said of the 3-0 start. "It's a great start. We know we have a lot of games left, but it's obviously a great start."
Starting with hot shooting from Grant Williams, the Mavs took a 17-9 lead over the Grizzlies using a made 3 from Luka Doncic. However, they were outscored by a staggering 27-13 for the remainder of the period, with Doncic playing more off-ball, trusting teammates to make plays that often didn't come to fruition.
“When you look at three of the four quarters, we held them under 25 points. If you can do that in this league, that gives you a chance," Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. "There’s always been this one big quarter we’ve given up, and right now, it’s been the first, but I thought the group did a great job."
Derrick Jones Jr. began the second quarter scoring 10 consecutive points for the Mavs, including two made 3s. He helped Dallas to regain a 40-39 lead after converting from deep with 9:03 left to play in the half. Doncic caught fire to give the Mavs a late surge to close the second quarter, scoring the team's final 11 points and 15 total points within the final 4:52. The Mavs led 67-61 at the break.
"We had some guys who hadn't played yet, but I thought our defense, even though we gave up 110, did a really good job of executing the game plan and limiting it to one shot," Kidd said. "This is a team that crashes the boards, and I thought the guys did a really good job of limiting one tough shot and then getting down there and running.”
The Mavs finished the opening half shooting a staggering 15-26 (57.7 percent) from beyond the arc, with over half of those makes being accounted for by Doncic and Williams with four apiece. Jones and Jaden Hardy each contributed multiple makes, with seven players finishing with a made 3 in the half.
Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic being guarded by Memphis Grizzlies' Marcus Smart.
Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
The Grizzlies kept it close after halftime, but the Mavs managed to create some separation late in the third quarter. With a string of made 3s and a foul drawn by Williams in transition leading to two made free throws after a flagrant foul, Dallas led 93-84 with 1:45 remaining in the period, which ultimately became a 13-1 run, setting up a 97-86 advantage.
It continued to be a theme for the Mavs to punish the Grizzlies using hot perimeter shooting. A made 3 from Hardaway at the 10:34 mark of the fourth period gave Dallas a 20th make from beyond the arc while establishing three players scoring 20 or more points. The play gave the Mavs a then game-high 14-point lead.
Using a hot stretch of perimeter shooting of their own, the Grizzlies fired back at the Mavs to cut Dallas' advantage to just 110-106 with 5:13 on the clock in regulation after previously leading by as many as 17 points. Doncic's late-game execution stifled the Grizzlies from pulling off a legitimate rallying effort.
Doncic finished with 35 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists, marking his second 30-point triple-double through three games. Jones (22 points) and Hardaway (21 points) both crossed the 20-point threshold for the Mavs, with the team totaling 23 made 3s and converting at a 48.9 percent clip.
"The guy with 77 on his jersey. That's about it," Hardaway said of how they closed the game. "Josh [Green], he did a great job of attacking closeouts, setting up the screen to get the mismatch for Luka. Luka did an amazing job, as always, of getting two defenders on him and hitting the open guy.
"Luka is always preaching to the guys saying, 'Play for all three. Guys are doubling me. I give you the ball, go ahead and attack, be aggressive, make the right play.' He trusts us in those situations. Being with him since his rookie year, we know what to do when he's getting the ball out of his hands. Try to make a play and make things happen."
A common theme throughout the game for the Mavs was their approach to push the pace. Doing so has been an emphasis throughout training camp and has carried into the season. Both Jones and Hardaway feel it's beneficial to their play style, whether Doncic is making a throw-ahead pass or they push on a grab-and-go.
“It’s wonderful," Jones said of playing with Doncic. "As a basketball player, you don’t want to just be running up and down the floor. I have to say he’s phenomenal. 100 percent so happy that I am here playing with him, and I don’t have to guard that anymore.”
The Mavs return to action on Wednesday when they take on the Chicago Bulls at American Airlines Center.
