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

Luka Doncic
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