Advertisement

Luka Doncic saves Mavericks with massive 11-0 solo run to beat Rockets

Luka Doncic wasn’t going to lose to the Houston Rockets on Saturday night.

The Dallas Mavericks had fallen into an eight-point hole against the Rockets with less than three minutes to go on Saturday night at the American Airlines Center. That was, though, until Doncic stepped in.

The rookie single-handedly went on an 11-0 run — which included a pair of huge step-back 3-pointers over Clint Capela — to bring the Mavs back in it and take the lead.

While Rockets star James Harden responded with a bucket on the other end, fellow Mavericks rookie Jalen Brunson hit a shot of his own in the closing seconds to finish out the 107-104 win for Dallas — its ninth-straight home win.

“It’s pretty clear he’s got a flair for the moment,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said, via ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “He’s unafraid.”

Doncic shot just 3-of-13 from the field ahead of his final run, and had yet to make a shot from behind the arc. He even started out the night shooting 1-of-9 from the field. Yet it didn’t hinder the Slovenian, who finished with 21 points and seven rebounds, shooting 7-of-17 from the field.

“I wasn’t playing great. My game wasn’t good at all,” Doncic said of his early troubles after the win, via MacMahon. “I get confident at the end of the game, and obviously then I feel comfortable.”

Wesley Matthews also dropped 21 points for the Mavericks, and both Brunson and Harrison Barnes added 14 each.

Harden led the Rockets with 35 points and eight assists, shooting 11-of-22 from the field, while Chris Paul added 23. The loss marks the seventh for the Rockets in their last nine games.

Dallas forward Luka Doncic went off in the fourth quarter on Saturday night, leading the Mavericks past the Rockets with a solo 11-0 run to end the game. (AP Photo/Cooper Neill)
Dallas forward Luka Doncic went off in the fourth quarter on Saturday night, leading the Mavericks past the Rockets with a solo 11-0 run to end the game. (AP Photo/Cooper Neill)

More from Yahoo Sports:
Brown: Remembering Luis Valbuena and his love of baseball
Warriors remind everyone in NBA who’s boss
Reports: Ayton, Booker ‘exchanged words’ in front of media after Suns loss
Which college football players are sitting out bowl games?