MANILA – Dorian Finney-Smith drained a go-ahead triple to give Dallas Mavericks a 125-124 victory over Washington Wizards in the 2020-2021 National Basketball Association season on Saturday night at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Trailing 122-124 after two free throws by Wizards’ Bradley Beal, Finney-Smith received a pass from Luka Doncic for a corner triple with 9.3 seconds remaining to surge the Mavericks ahead, 125-124.
The Mavericks put on a defensive stop on the other end forcing Beal to miss a potential game-winning triple. Dallas pulled off the escape despite losing an 18-point lead early in the match.
Finney-Smith top-scored with 22 points, including six three-point conversions, as the Mavericks tied defending champions Los Angeles Lakers at fifth spot in the Western Conference with a 36-27 slate.
Doncic had triple-double 31 points, career-high 20 assists, and 12 rebounds. Maxi Kleber, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Dwight Powell have dropped 17, 16, and 11 markers, respectively, for the Mavericks.
Russell Westbrook ended with 42 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists, while Beal and Rui Hachimura added 29 and 18 markers, respectively, as the Wizards dropped to 29-35.
Meanwhile, rookie Cole Anthony scored on a game-winning triple as Orlando Magic (20-44) pulled off a come-from-behind 112-111 victory over Memphis Grizzlies (32-31).
Down 103-109, the Magic tied the score via triples by Moritz Wagner and RJ Hampton. The Grizzlies seized the lead at 111-109 on Dillon Brooks baskets, but Orlando snatched the win via Anthony’s triple.
Anthony finished the match with 26 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, while Wagner and Dwayne Bacon chipped in 24 and 23 markers, respectively, for the Magic.
In other results, Golden State Warriors (32-32) walloped Houston Rockets (16-48), 113-87; Miami Heat (34-30) defeated Cleveland Cavaliers (21-43), 124-107; and Atlanta Hawks (35-30) defeated Chicago Bulls (26-38), 108-97.
BOX SCORE:
DALLAS 125 – Doncic 31, Finney-Smith 22, Kleber 17, Hardaway 16, Powell 11, Richardson 8, Burke 7, Cauley-Stein 6, Brunson 4, Melli 3.
WASHINGTON 124 – Westbrook 42, Beal 29, Hachimura 18, Gafford 9, Neto 8, Smith 6, Lopez 5, Bertans 5, Hutchinson 2, Len 0.
QUARTERSCORES:
38-26, 70-65, 89-97, 125-124./PN
