DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic had 34 points and 12 rebounds, and the dallas mavericks turned up the defensive intensity in a 115-90 win over the Miami Heat Friday night.
The Mavericks were without No. 2 scorer Christian Wood, who missed the first of what will be multiple games with a broken left thumb.
They responded two nights after heavy criticism of their defense from coach Jason Kidd by holding the Heat to 33 percent shooting in the first and third quarters combined while outscoring Miami 63-35.
Dallas allowed 40 points in the first quarter of a 130-122 loss to Atlanta, a third straight loss in which the Mavs allowed at least 130 points. Miami’s total was a season low for a Mavericks opponent.
“It wasn’t me calling them or saying we had a walkthrough, a shootaround during the game against Atlanta,” Kidd said. “I think you could see they were flying. So now we have to hold them to that standard.”
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Victor Oladipo scored 20 points and Bam Adebayo had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat, who entered Dallas on a 4-1 run that put them a season-high four games over .500.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 19 for the Mavericks, and Reggie Bullock added 15 on 5-of-6 shooting from 3-point range. Doncic was 5-of-8 from deep as the Mavericks finished 47 percent (18-of-38).
Miami cut a 17-point first-half deficit to six early in the third quarter, but ended up being outscored 32-16 in the period while shooting just 32%. Dallas led 92-67 after three.
“I don’t think we’ve brought a lot of motor and detail to our offense,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “And I know that was a big point of emphasis for them to really go after us. They had been giving up a lot of points, so you knew you were going to do your best defensively.”
Doncic capped Dallas’ strong defensive first quarter with a 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 31-19 lead. The NBA scoring leader matched totals of 11 points in the first and third.
ADVICE
Heat: It was the last road game of the season against a team from the Western Conference. The Heat fell to 15-9 against the West, including a 7-7 road win over San Antonio in Mexico City. … Tyler Herro had 16 points but a game-high four turnovers. … Jimmy Butler was limited to seven shots and scored 12 points.
Mavericks: Dorian Finney-Smith scored 10 points before getting into foul trouble in his second game after missing 14 with a right adductor strain. He picked up his fifth foul late in the third quarter. … It was also the second game back for Josh Green after missing 20 with a sprained right elbow. He scored 12, including an alley-oop dunk on Doncic’s seventh and final assist of the fourth quarter.
3 POINT OVERLOAD
Bullock is 19 of 29 from 3-point territory (66 percent) in his last four games to raise his season percentage from 31 percent, the lowest since his rookie season in 2013-14, to 36 percent. The current percentage is almost exactly where he was in 2021-22 to help Dallas reach the Western Conference finals.
“Just keep believing in my shot,” Bullock said. “I believe in the work that I continue to do. It was a very slow start for me, but the organization, the team, every day they tell me: ‘Drop the ball, throw the ball.’”
UNTIL NEXT TIME
Heat: At home against New Orleans on Sunday for the second game in five days. Miami ended the Pelicans’ 32-game streak of scoring at least 100 points in a 124-98 victory on Wednesday.
Mavericks: The Clippers visit on Sunday two weeks after Los Angeles won 113-101 at home in the season opener.
