DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 23 points after a rare scoreless first quarter point and the Dallas Mavericks bounced back from their first loss with a 124-118 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night.
LaMelo Ball scored 23 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter of his first 30-point triple-double, getting 13 assists and 10 rebounds. But the Hornets couldn’t hold a 15-point first-half lead a night after rallying in the fourth for a one-point victory at Indiana.
Grant Williams added 18 points for Dallas, including a trio of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, and rookie Dereck Lively II had 15 points, 14 rebounds and a big fourth-quarter block.
The Hornets had a chance to tie after Dallas was called for a shot-clock violation with 8.4 seconds left. But rookie Brandon Miller couldn’t get the ball in before a 5-second call, and Ball fouled Kyrie Irving before Dallas inbounded.
Irving’s free throw gave the Mavs a 120-116 lead and they kept the ball, then he hit two more free throws with 7.7 seconds to all but seal Dallas’ fifth victory in six games this season.
Doncic, who had just one scoreless first quarter last season, went 8 of 15 after his 0-for-4 start — but was just 1 of 9 from long range — while finishing with 12 rebounds and nine assists.
Irving had 18 points and 10 assists.
Gordon Hayward and P.J. Washington scored 20 apiece for the Hornets, and Mark Williams had 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Ball had 11 assists before getting his first points on a layup late in the first half, when Charlotte shot 57% and led 60-45 late in the second quarter. Hayward scored 15 points before the break.
The Mavs picked up their defense in the final minute of the first half, forcing three missed shots before Doncic’s missed 3 in the final seconds left Dallas to settle for a 12-point deficit.
Dallas kept up the defensive effort, holding Charlotte to 42% shooting after the break.
UP NEXT
Hornets: Washington on Wednesday night for the only home game in a five-game stretch.
Mavericks: At Orlando on Monday night as Dallas alternates road and home games for the first eight.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
