AP – Luka Doncic scored 35 points, Dereck Lively II added 16 points and 16 rebounds, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Memphis Grizzlies 120-113 yesterday.
Jaden Hardy scored 19 points off the Dallas bench and Dante Exum had 16 points for the Mavericks, who have won three straight. The win came despite the Mavericks being short a handful of players due to injuries, including Kyrie Irving, the team’s second-leading scorer.
Hardy’s night included seven of 15 from the floor, and five of seven from outside the arc.
Hardy said it was a matter of confidence to convert from distance.
Jaren Jackson Jr scored a season-high 41 points and Desmond Bane added 28 for Memphis.
Vince Williams Jr finished with 10 points.
Dallas led by 21 points early in the fourth quarter and continually held off Memphis’ attempts to rally. Doncic finished nine of 21 from the field and five of 10 on three-pointers, including his 1,000th career three to open the fourth.
Ja Morant’s absence and some key injuries have the Grizzlies near the bottom of the league in scoring at 106 points per game.
Lively’s work on the boards, which matched his season high, allowed Dallas to control the rebounding with a 43-38 advantage, 10 off the offensive glass. That led to 21 second-chance points for Dallas.
