SAN FRANCISCO – Luka Doncic made a triumphant return to the Dallas Mavericks’ lineup, scoring 25 of his 39 points in the second half, leading Dallas to a 132-122 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night. Doncic, who also contributed 10 assists and eight rebounds, had missed the previous game due to soreness in his left quadriceps.
Dante Exum and Josh Green played key supporting roles, scoring 19 and a season-high 18 points, respectively. Dereck Lively II also made a significant impact with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd praised the team’s collective effort in securing a challenging win in San Francisco.
Stephen Curry paced the Warriors with 25 points and seven assists, while Chris Paul had a season-high 24 points, crossing the 22,000 career points milestone. Despite their efforts, Golden State has now lost three consecutive games, slipping to a 15-17 record.
Golden State coach Steve Kerr expressed concern about the team’s current form, emphasizing the need for greater collective determination and focus on winning.
Trayce Jackson-Davis had a career-high 17 points for Golden State, and Jonathan Kuminga continued his scoring consistency with 16 points and nine rebounds, marking his 12th straight game with at least 10 points.
Dallas established control early with a 13-0 run in the second quarter and managed to maintain the lead despite Golden State’s efforts to close the gap. Doncic’s impressive third-quarter performance was pivotal in extending the Mavericks’ lead to 101-89.
The Warriors attempted a comeback late in the game, with Curry and Paul hitting consecutive three-pointers to narrow the margin. However, the Mavericks’ efficient shooting (55.7%) and strong defensive plays in crucial moments secured their victory.
Coach Kerr acknowledged the Warriors’ defensive struggles, noting that allowing 132 points made it challenging to win, despite their own offensive output.
Injury updates included Dallas guard Seth Curry sitting out due to illness and Kyrie Irving missing his 12th consecutive game with a right heel contusion. For the Warriors, Gary Payton II returned after a 13-game absence but scored only two points in limited minutes.
Upcoming Games
The Dallas Mavericks look to build on this win as they face the Utah Jazz on Monday night. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors aim to snap their losing streak when they host the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night.
