NBA roundup: Luka Doncic leads Mavs in record-breaking rout
Luka Doncic single-handedly outscored the Memphis Grizzlies in the first quarter en route to a gamehigh, 32-point performance that propelled the host Dallas Mavericks to a 137-96 thrashing Saturday night.
Successfully rebounding from a 107-105 road loss to the Phoenix Suns on Opening Night, the Mavericks ran up the largest margin of victory in their 105-game all-time series with the Grizzlies. Dallas had recorded the previous biggest blowout, 120-83, in January 2001. Doncic exploded out of the gates for 21 points in the first period, four more than the Grizzlies amassed in falling behind 39-17. Entering the game 2-0 but playing the second night of a back-to-back that began with a hard-fought win at Houston, the Grizzlies never seriously challenged over the final 36 minutes as the Mavericks ran up a 42-point lead at one point.
Ja Morant paced Memphis with 20 points in 30 minutes. He hit six of his 12 shots. Memphis finished at 43.0 percent shooting overall, got outscored 51-27 on 3-pointers and was dominated on the boards to the tune of 52-29. Bucks 125, Rockets 105 Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a game-high 44 points and paced a dominant offensive attack as Milwaukee earned a wire-to-wire victory over Houston in its home opener. Antetokounmpo shot 17-for21 from the floor and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Bucks, who shot 56.5 percent overall and led by as many as 27 points. Jrue Holiday added 19 points and 10 assists for
Milwaukee, which established control by darting to a 13-0 lead out of the gate. Jalen Green scored 22 points for Houston while backcourt mate Kevin Porter Jr. added 18 points, five rebounds and seven assists. However, Green and Porter shot a combined 11 of 34. Anchored by Brook Lopez (five blocks and two steals), Milwaukee held the Rockets to 38.7 percent shooting, including 20 of 56 on 2-pointers. NSpurs 114, 76ers 105 Devin Vassell racked up 22 points and Keldon Johnson added 21 as visiting San Antonio made the plays it needed in the fourth quarter on the way to a win over winless Philadelphia. The Spurs led by eight heading to the fourth period before
Philadelphia rallied to go up 88-87 with 8:04 to play. San Antonio then produced a 15-2 run capped by a free throw by Johnson with 4:42 remaining. The 76ers never got closer than six points the rest of the way. Tre Jones scored 17 points, including the final eight in the game, as San Antonio won for the second straight night and captured the first two contests of a four-game road trip. Joel Embiid had his best game of the year with 40 points and 13 rebounds for Philadelphia, which has dropped its first three games.
Tyrese Maxey added 25 points, Tobias Harris hit for 15 and James Harden recorded 12 points and 12 assists in the loss.