DALLAS, TX – The Dallas Mavericks (38-43) defeated the Chicago Bulls (39-42) in American Airlines Center on Friday night 115-112. Dallas was without a lot of their key players tonight; Kyrie Irving, Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Green, Maxi Kleber, and Christian Wood. Luka Doncic did start for the Mavs but only played the first quarter. Doncic did not play because of injury, we were told before the game from Head Coach Jason Kidd that Doncic would only play the first half and that it was an upper management decision.
Doncic led the Mavs in the first quarter with 11 points and led Dallas to a 29-26 lead entering the second quarter. Dallas really struggled from downtown making little to no three-pointers in the first quarter shooting 3-of-14 at 21 percent. They didn’t do very well shooting in general, they were 9-of-24 to open the first at 37 percent.
Doncic left the game seconds into the second quarter. He ended the night with 13 points.
Mavs made a run in the second quarter and started to pull away. They had a 15-point lead midway through the second quarter before the Bulls came back within six. JaVale McGee entered the game and hit some three’s for the Mavs racking up nine points and giving Dallas that hefty lead back.
Mavs took a 67-54 lead into the half. They stepped up their shooting making 11 three’s in the first half shooting 40 percent and 52 percent from field goal range.
The majority of the bench was playing the entire second half and still held their own. The bench managed to keep Chicago at an arm’s length away and had a nine-point lead entering the fourth quarter.
The Bulls brought the lead back within four and Bullock and Holiday re-entered the game to help Dallas out. Chicago went on a late run late in the fourth and ended up taking the contest after the Mavs were winning the majority of the game.
With this loss Dallas is officially out of the playoff run.
Dallas will be back at home on Sunday to host the San Antonio Spurs. Tip off is set for 2:30 PM.
MAVERICKS LEADING SCORERS:
Luka Doncic 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.
McKinley Wright IV 13 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Markeiff Morris 13 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assists.
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