Luka Doncic scored 42 points, but Dallas falls short again

By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net

Miami was desperate. So was Dallas. Jimmy Butler and the Heat had just enough to help their playoff position – while dealing the Mavericks a big blow despite another incredible performance by Luka Doncic.

Butler had 35 points and 12 assists, Cody Zeller added 20 points and the Heat held off the Mavericks 129-122 on Saturday night to snap a three-game losing streak.

Luka Doncic was brilliant again for Dallas, finishing with 42 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. had 31 points and Kyrie Irving added 23 points and eight assists for the Mavericks.

Both clubs went to the conference finals last season; the Heat are trying to get out of the play-in round, and the Mavericks are trying to have a shot at the playoffs.

The win moves Miami (41-37) closer to securing no worse than the No. 7 seed and the most advantageous spot in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. The Heat is now 2 1/2 games ahead of No. 8 Atlanta (38-39) and No. 9 Toronto (38-39).

Meanwhile, it’s a big blow to Dallas (37-41).

The Mavs fell a full game back of No. 10 Oklahoma City (38-40) in the race for the last Western Conference play-in spot, and worse, the Thunder owns the head-to-head tiebreaker. Dallas is now two games back of No. 9 Minnesota (39-39) and just a half-game ahead of No. 12 Utah (36-41).

As for the other game of the night. New Orleans won over the Clippers 112-114 as Jonas Valanciunas had another strong double-double. Scoring 23 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Fot the LA team, Ivica Zubac had 15 points and six rebounds.

NBA roundup

Miami Heat – Dallas Mavericks 129-122 (Doncic 42p, 10r, 8a, Kleber 8p)

New Orleans Pelicans – Los Angeles Clippers 122-114 (Valanciunas 23p, 12r – Zubac 15p, 6r, Batum 2p)

2022-23 STANDINGS

EAST

TEAM	W	L	LAST 10
1 y-MILWAUKEE	55	22	7-3
2 y-BOSTON	54	24	7-3
3 y-PHILADELPHIA	51	26	6-4
4 y-CLEVELAND	48	30	6-4
5 NEW YORK	45	33	6-4
6 BROOKLYN	42	35	4-6
7 MIAMI	41	37	5-5
8 ATLANTA	38	39	4-6
9 TORONTO	38	39	6-4
10 CHICAGO	37	40	6-4
11 WASHINGTON	34	43	3-7
12 INDIANA	34	44	3-7
13 ORLANDO	33	44	6-4
14 e-CHARLOTTE	26	52	4-6
15 e-DETROIT	16	61	1-9

WEST

TEAM	W	L	LAST 10
1 y-DENVER	51	26	5-5
2 y-MEMPHIS	49	28	8-2
3 y-SACRAMENTO	47	30	7-3
4 PHOENIX	42	35	5-5
5 LA CLIPPERS	41	38	6-4
6 GOLDEN STATE	41	37	6-4
7 NEW ORLEANS	40	38	6-4
8 LA LAKERS	39	38	7-3
9 MINNESOTA	39	39	5-5
10 OKLAHOMA CITY	38	40	5-5
11 DALLAS	37	41	3-7
12 UTAH	36	41	4-6
13 e-PORTLAND	32	45	1-9
14 e-SAN ANTONIO	19	58	2-8
15 e-HOUSTON	19	59	3-7

y-clinched a Playoffs berth
e-eliminated from Playoffs

-Top six teams of each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seeded 7th to 10th will compete in Play-In tournament