The Dallas Mavericks picked up an impressive road victory over the LA Clippers on Wednesday night’s NBA action. Paul George hit a wild 3-pointer at the buzzer to put the game into overtime, but the Mavericks were able to steady the ship and pick up a 112-104 win.
Picking up the victory after such a deflating play is a sign of improvement for the Mavericks. Kristaps Porzingis, who is playing some of the best basketball of his career, said the team’s growth mentally was a big factor in picking up the win.
“For a second, you were like, ‘Damn, we should have finished it right here,’ Porzingis said. “But I think we are growing as a team mentally and kind of knew that, OK, if it is five more minutes, it’s five more minutes, and we will go out there and prove that we’re the superior team.”
The Mavericks got Luka Doncic back in the lineup, as he returned after missing three straight games because of ankle and knee issues. Doncic nearly recorded a triple-double in his return, scoring 26 points with nine rebounds and nine assists in 41 minutes of play.
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Just having him back in the lineup, despite some rustiness, helped Dallas, who had lost all three games that Doncic was sidelined for.
“Honestly, it is just easy, easy opportunities because of Luka,” Porzingis said. “Luka is out there, he just makes the game so much easier for everybody else.”
The game certainly looked easy for Porzingis, who scored a team-high 30 points. He shot 9-of-16 from the field, knocking down 2-of-5 from the 3-point line and all 10 of his free throw attempts.
Porzingis has been great recently for the Mavericks, scoring 20+ points in seven consecutive games. It is the longest streak of 20+ scoring outings in his career, as he is finally finding his groove after a rough start to the season.
Porzingis discussed how comfortable he is feeling on the court and it is translating into his results.
“I am just feeling free, I would say, that is the main thing, just feeling free to play my game,” Porzingis said. “And my teammates are trusting [me], my coach trusts me, and I am out there having fun. That is the main thing. If you are not having fun, it is tough to play and give it your all. I feel like this year, we have that kind of environment and we are playing hard for each other and having fun.”
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This is the kind of performance Dallas has been waiting for since they acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the New York Knicks. If he continues playing at this level, the Dallas Mavericks will have a chance to become the contenders they believe they can be.
