By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
The highly anticipated clash between European stars Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic was decided by a third party, as Kyrie Irving stole the show in the final seconds.
Irving took the responsibility with the score tied at 105 and made a very difficult left-handed shot over Jokic, handing the Dallas Mavericks a 107-105 win over the reigning NBA champions.
Ambidextrous Kyrie had a good overall game with 24 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds, but Doncic led the charge for most of the game for Dallas, finishing with 37 points and nine rebounds. He also scored the game-tying triple in the final moments.
On the other hand, Jokic wasn’t at his best but was still on the verge of a triple-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. However, he shot 6/16 from the field, thanks to tough defense by Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford.
Jamal Murray hit his first triple in the final quarter but got heated when his team needed it most and ended up being Denver’s top scorer with 23 points, followed by Michael Porter Jr. with 20.
Adebayo steals the show from Fournier and Fontecchio
Elsewhere, the Detroit Pistons gave a good fight to the Miami Heat, with Evan Fournier and Simone Fontecchio leading the way. Still, Bam Adebayo hit the game-winning triple at the buzzer, and the Florida team emerged victorious with a final score of 101-104.
Fournier was the Pistons’ top scorer with 18 points, while Fontecchio added 13 points and eight rebounds.
On the other side, the hero Adebayo had 20 points and 17 rebounds, while Duncan Robinson hit seven three-pointers and scored 30 points. Nikola Jokic didn’t suit up for the Heat due to a hamstring strain.