LUKA DONCIC had 36 points, a career-high 19 assists and 14 rebounds for his 17th triple-double of this season and 25th of his career while leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 136-132 overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night near Orlando.
Dorian Finney-Smith added 27 points and 11 rebounds, and Kristaps Porzingis contributed 26 points and 11 rebounds as the Mavericks (42-30) rallied from a late seven-point deficit in regulation. Maxi Kleber scored 15 points, and Trey Burke had 10.
Brook Lopez recorded season highs of 34 points and six 3-pointers, and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 34 points, 13 rebounds and five blocked shots for the NBA-best Bucks (55-15). Khris Middleton registered 21 points and 11 assists, and Eric Bledsoe had 15 points.
Dallas scored 16 straight points — the final seven of regulation and the first nine of overtime — to open up a 128-119 lead. The Bucks closed within two points before Doncic’s highlight-reel, lefty bounce pass between his own legs set up Kleber’s three-point play to seal it.
SUNS 119 — HEAT 112
Devin Booker scored a game-high 35 points as Phoenix remained unbeaten during the NBA’s restart with a victory over Miami.
Phoenix also got 18 points and 12 rebounds from Deandre Ayton, and a surprising 20 points in 26 minutes off the bench from Jevon Carter, who entered the game with a 4.6 scoring average. Booker, who entered the night ranked 10th in the NBA with a 26.2 scoring average, made 15 of 26 shots from the floor, although he was 0 of 7 on 3-point attempts.
The Suns (31-39) are the only unbeaten team in the NBA restart as they try to avoid missing the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season. Phoenix was without two of its top six scorers as Kelly Oubre and Aron Baynes missed the game due to knee injuries.
Miami (43-27) played without three of its top four scorers: Jimmy Butler (sore right foot), Goran Dragic (sprained left ankle) and Kendrick Nunn (unspecified reason). Heat coach Erik Spoelstra shuffled his lineup, giving rookie guard Tyler Herro his seventh start of the season. Herro responded with 25 points, a career-high 10 assists and eight rebounds.
PACERS 116 — LAKERS 111
T.J. Warren continued his stellar offensive play since the restart, scoring 39 points to lead Indiana over Los Angeles.
Warren, who came in averaging 33.8 points since the league reconvened on July 30, scored seven straight points in the final 1:25 to turn a one-point deficit into a six-point lead with 10.6 seconds left. Malcolm Brogdon scored 24 points, and Victor Oladipo had 22 for the Pacers (43-27).
LeBron James sat out the loss against the Houston Rockets on Thursday because of a sore groin, but returned Saturday to finish with 31 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Lakers (51-18). James was the only starter in double figures for Los Angeles, as Anthony Davis was held to eight points on 3-for-14 shooting. — Reuters
