Luka Doncic scored 42 points, Kyrie Irving added 40 as the new All-Star pairing sparkled throughout the Dallas Mavericks’ 133-126 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night.
Doncic won a matchup of the NBA’s top two scorers as Joel Embiid finished with 35 points for the 76ers, who were playing a night after a win in Miami without their All-Star center.
Irving and Doncic became the first Dallas teammates to score at least 40 in the same game.
They each had a 20-point first half while combining for 45, then combined to score 10 points in the first 102 seconds of the third quarter to start a 20-4 run for a 91-71 Dallas lead.
The 76ers scored the first 15 points of the fourth quarter to get within four with Embiid and James Harden watching from the bench, which brought Doncic back in the game earlier than planned.
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (2) shoots past Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots over Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden
The return of Doncic, who had 12 assists, got Irving going again with a three-point play and a deep 3-pointer before Doncic hit another long one for a 119-108 lead. They combined to go 13 of 21 from deep.
The franchise’s first pair of All-Star starters, who won for the second time in six games together since Irving arrived in the blockbuster trade with Brooklyn, got others involved, too.
Five other Mavericks hit 3-pointers as Dallas finished with a season-high 25 3s on 48 attempts (52 percent).
Harden made his first 11 shots – five from the field, including three 3s and six free throws – while finishing the first half with 19 points and 10 assists.
The 10-time All-Star guard was limited to eight points and three assists after the break and had two of his six turnovers in the fourth quarter – on steals by Doncic and Irving – when Dallas was rebuilding its lead.
Dallas Mavericks’ Irving (2), Dwight Powell (center) and Doncic right, celebrate during the win
WARRIORS 115, CLIPPERS 91
Jordan Poole scored 34 points, Klay Thompson had 19 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, as the Golden State Warriors used another big second-half surge to rally past the Los Angeles Clippers 115-91 on Thursday night for their fourth straight victory.
Kawhi Leonard scored 21 points and hit from deep to beat the buzzer that ended the second quarter, putting the cold-shooting Clippers ahead 56-45 at halftime. But Los Angeles finished just 9 of 43 on 3-pointers — missing 18 of 19 to begin the second half.
Then the Warriors came charging back with a 42-point third quarter while holding the Clippers to 16 points in the period to lead 87-72 heading into the final 12 minutes. Golden State did the same thing with a comeback win against Portland on Tuesday night.
Draymond Green added 11 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in a physical battle all game between rivals fighting for playoff positioning in the Western Conference. Donte DiVincenzo struggled with his shot, going 2 for 10, but hit the glass to grab a season-high 11 rebounds for the defending champions.
Jordan Poole of the Warriors shoots a three-point basket during the game against the Clippers
WIZARDS 119, RAPTORS 108
Kyle Kuzma scored the game’s first 10 points and finished with 30, Kristaps Porzingis added 25 points, and Washington beat Toronto in the opener of a two-game set between Eastern Conference playoff contenders.
Daniel Gafford scored 18 points and Delon Wright had a season-high 11 assists for the Wizards (30-32), who moved within percentage points of the ninth-place Raptors (31-33) in the East standings.
O.G. Anunoby scored 26 points and Jakob Poeltl had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Raptors, who had won five of their previous six games. Pascal Siakam had 13 points and 11 rebounds for Toronto. Scottie Barnes and Fred VanVleet had 14 points.
Washington Wizards Kyle Kuzma (33) shoots against Toronto Raptors Precious Achiuwa (5)
SPURS 110, PACERS 99
Jeremy Sochan had 22 points and 13 rebounds for his first career double-double as San Antonio defeated Indiana with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich out because of an illness.
Devin Vassell scored 18 points for the Spurs in his return after missing 25 games following arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. He shot 8 for 15 in his first game since January 2.
Popovich and lead assistant Brett Brown were out with non-COVID-19 illnesses. Popovich is expected to return for Saturday’s home game against Houston. Spurs assistant Mitch Johnson collected his first victory.
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San Antonio has won two straight after dropping a franchise-record 16 in a row.
Buddy Hield had 27 points to lead the Pacers and Chris Duarte had 18.
San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan, scores past Indiana Pacers guard Buddy Hield (24)
