Doncic's Mavs Bounce Back With 93-83 Win Over Heat
DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks got 2021 off to a good start on Friday night, bouncing back with a 93-83 win over the Miami Heat at the American Airlines Center.
After getting run off of their home floor in their season opener just 48 hours before, Dallas looked like a totally different team in this one, playing tough, efficient, and impassioned for all 48 minutes of play.
Luka Doncic in particular looked to be heading back to the form that earned him preseason MVP favorite odds, ending the game with 24 points 15 rebounds, and seven assists and hitting 40-percent from the floor. Doncic was also 3-10 from beyond the arc.
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Tim Hardaway Jr. also had a nice game offensively for Dallas, scoring 18 points on 6-18 shooting in 32 minutes.
As a team, Dallas not only shot an improved 42.4-percent from the floor and 32.4-percent from three (up substantially from their Wednesday loss to Charlotte), but they also managed to hold Miami to just 37-percent from the floor overall.
Perhaps more impressively, however, Dallas was able to outrebound the Heat 49-41 for the game, showing a vastly improved motor on the glass on both ends of the floor... something that has plagued them greatly in recent losses.
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Following the win, Dallas (2-3) will attempt to string together their first winning streak of the season when they hit the road for the first of a three-game road trip on Sunday night against Zach Lavine and the Chicago Bulls (2-3).
Dallas split their two games against the Bulls last season, falling in game one in Dallas, but redeeming themselves with a win in game two last march. The Mavs also lead the all-time series against Chicago 41-37.
