Luka Doncic scores Mavericks-record 73 points in 148-143 win over Hawks
ATLANTA >> Luka Doncic scored a franchise-record 73 points, tied for the fourth-most in NBA history and surpassed only by Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant, to power the Mavericks to a 148-143 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.
Doncic blew past his personal-best and teamrecord 60 points after scoring a team-record 41 points in the first half. His record night came only four days after Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid scored a franchise-record 70 points, then the most in the NBA this season, in the 76ers’ 133-123 victory over San Antonio on Monday night.
A three-point play with 2:58 remaining gave Doncic 70 points. With Dallas leading 140-136, Doncic added another threepoint play to cap his night.
Doncic joined Chamberlain and David Thompson among players who scored 73 points. Chamberlain, who holds the NBA record with 100 points, also had a 78-point game, while Bryant had 81.
Trae Young led Atlanta with 30 points.
PACERS 133, SUNS 131 >> Obi Toppin broke a tie on a putback with 3.4 seconds left and Indiana spoiled Devin Booker’s 62-point night, overcoming a 17-point deficit to beat Phoenix.
Booker broke his own Phoenix record for points in a quarter with 29 in the first. He had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but he slipped on the inbounds pass and wasn’t close with a contested 3-pointer. The Suns had won seven straight.
Booker had 50 or more points for the second time this season and seventh time in his career. He had a career-high 70 at Boston in March 2017. On Jan. 19, he had 52 at New Orleans.
Pascal Siakam scored 31 points to help Indiana win its second straight — both without All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton. Toppin had 23 points and 11 rebounds.
CLIPPERS 127, RAPTORS
107>> James Harden had 22 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds for his 75th career triple-double, Paul George added 21 points and Los Angeles beat Toronto for its fourth consecutive victory.
Russell Westbrook scored 20 points and Kawhi Leonard had 16 against his former team as Los Angeles won for the 12th time in 14.
Scottie Barnes scored 14 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter for Toronto.
THUNDER 107, PELICANS 83
>> Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points and Oklahoma City routed New Orleans to improve itsr NBA-leading road record to 15-8.
Chet Holmgren added 20 points and 13 rebounds to help the Thunder win their fourth straight on the road.
Herb Jones and Jonas Valanciunas each had 14 points for New Orleans. Zion Williamson sat out because of a bone bruise in his left foot. ROCKETS 138, HORNETS 104 >> Jalen Green scored 36 points, rookie Cam Whitmore had a career-high 24 and Houston routed Charlotte.
Fred VanVleet had 14 points and Amen Thompson added 13 for the Rockets, They shot 30 of 40 from the field in the second half and outscored the Hornets 83-51.
Miles Bridges had 21 points for the Hornets.