DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 27 points, Kristaps Porzingis had 26 points and 17 rebounds playing on consecutive days for the first time in two months and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Milwaukee Bucks 116-101 on Thursday night.
Porzingis scored 11 points in the fourth quarter, including eight in a row while giving Dallas the lead for good. The big finish for the 7-foot-3 Latvian came a night after he didn’t get a shot in the final period despite an efficient scoring effort in a loss to lowly Houston that ended a season-best five-game winning streak.
Donte DiVincenzo scored 22 points and Bobby Portis had 20 points and a season-high 14 rebounds for the Bucks. They dropped to 1-2 without reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, out with left knee soreness.
Porzingis finished a rebound off his season high, and his only assist set up a corner 3-pointer by Dorian Finney-Smith for a 110-97 lead with 2:17 remaining.
The Mavericks bookended the loss to the Rockets with victories over NBA-leading Utah and the Eastern Conference-contending Bucks, who finished their second six-game road trip, the longest of the season, with the same 3-3 record as the first.
Dallas took control with a 13-2 run that included an overturned call when Finney-Smith blocked a dunk attempt by Khris Middleton and immediately signaled to the bench to challenge the foul.
The Bucks finished the third quarter on a 12-0 run for an 84-80 lead, all after Doncic checked back in with 1:45 remaining in the quarter and the Mavericks holding their biggest lead of the game to that point at eight.
DiVincenzo capped the run with the fifth of his six 3-pointers after Tim Hardaway Jr.’s inbound pass was intercepted with 21 seconds remaining. The other three Dallas turnovers in the final 90 seconds were by Doncic, who also drew his 12th technical foul.
TIP-INS
Bucks: Coach Mike Budenholzer said Antetokounmpo didn’t do any pregame work and didn’t indicate when the five-time All-Star would return. … Portis’ double-double was his second straight and seventh of the season. He had five last season. … All five starters finished in double figures. Brook Lopez scored 16 points, Middleton had 14 and Jrue Holiday added 13.
Mavericks: Porzingis had missed the previous two games before the back-to-back, the first for rest on the second night of a back-to-back and the second for a right wrist sprain the big man says he will be dealing with the rest of the season. Coach Rick Carlisle said the two missed games and a two-day break after the visit from the Bucks were also factors in letting Porzingis play. … Carlisle said G Trey Burke was available, but he was listed in the boxscore as out with a left calf strain. Burke missed his third straight game.
UP NEXT
Bucks: Charlotte visits Friday to complete Milwaukee’s back-to-back before the Bucks go back on the road for three more games. The Hornets ended Milwaukee’s five-game winning streak in the series with a 126-114 victory Jan. 30.
Mavericks: San Antonio visits Sunday with Dallas looking for the first season sweep of its Texas rival in the 41-year history of the franchise. The Mavericks won by five in San Antonio in January and by 11 in Dallas last month.
