By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Luka Doncic hit eight 3-pointers in the Dallas Mavericks‘ 108 – 129 loss to the Charlotte Hornets to tie his career-high in threes.
Doncic shot 8-12 from beyond the arc to finish with a game-high 37 3-pointers. He had set his individual record for triples on January 18, 2020 when he sank eight out of 12 again for 35 points in a 120 – 112 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
While Doncic put on a shooting show from long range, he didn’t receive much help from his teammates. Only three other Maverick players finished in double figures with Frank Ntilikina scoring the most among them with 12.
Apart from Doncic, the rest of the Mavs combined for 6-26 on 3-pointers, performing poorly as a whole against the zone defense that the Charlotte Hornets implemented. “Teams are trying to take the ball out of Luka’s hands, so other guys are going to have to make plays and step up and make shots,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “So this is a great dress rehearsal for them.”
The Mavs didn’t have guard Spencer Dinwiddie since he’s ruled out of consecutive games to better manage his right knee after his recovery from torn ACL. Dinwiddie has been averaging 19.0 points, 4.6 assists and 3.2 rebounds in March while hitting back-to-back game-winnners against the Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets.