TORONTO –What a neat birthday Wednesday turned out to be for Luka Dončić.
The Dallas Mavericks’ five-time All-Star point guard turned 25 on Wednesday and registered his 11th triple-double of the season in leading the Mavs to a 136-125 triumph over the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. With the win, the Mavs (34-25) snapped their two-game losing streak heading into Friday’s road game against the Boston Celtics.
Dončić finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 16 assists as the Mavs were able to bounce back after losing in heartbreaking fashion at the buzzer in Cleveland, 121-119, on Tuesday on a 59-footer by Max Strus. This time, the Mavs took the drama totally out of the ending as they coasted to the finish line while getting plenty of help from several players.
In celebrating being on this earth for a quarter of a century, Dončić was spectacular yet again as he became the first player in NBA history to collect a 30-point triple-double on his birthday. When asked about the exploits of Dončić and the manner in which he completely dominates a game, Mavs coach Jason Kidd said: “Just a normal game. A triple-double. He was really good.
“He’s 25 and he’s still going to be really good as he gets older here. I think he understood where the game was at.”
Tuesday’s gut-wrenching loss weighed heavily on some of the Mavs, but not on everyone.
“It wasn’t that difficult, honestly, because you can’t really worry about the last game going into the next game,” forward P.J. Washington said. “Obviously, this is a good league and we’re playing the best players in the world each and every night.
“So, you can’t harp on the last game. You’ve got to look forward to the next one.”
Washington scored 10 of the Mavs’ first 16 points against Toronto – six of them coming when he buried back-to-back three-pointers right out of the gate. Washington wound up with 23 points, his high as a Mav, on 9-of-16 shots, including 6-of-10 from beyond the three-point line.
“I just feel like I was getting more comfortable each and every game,” Washington said. “Obviously, my teammates were doing a good job of finding me tonight, and I was hitting some good shots, so I just kept on taking those looks.
“For me, it’s just taking open shots and making them and just being aggressive on both ends.”
After falling behind, 67-66, at intermission, the Mavs got overly aggressive in the third quarter when they outscored the Raptors 40-25 to tote a 106-92 led into the fourth quarter. This became one of the brightest moments by Doncic, who scored 11 points, grabbed five rebounds, distributed six assists and picked up two steals in the third quarter.
“Like I said, the beauty of the NBA is you get another chance the next day,” Doncic said. “Obviously, back-to-back with us, but you just got to keep on going.”
The Mavs’ lead ballooned to as high as 15 points (107-92) when Dante Exum split a pair of free throws at the outset of the fourth quarter. It was the first game for Exum after he missed the previous 13 with bursitis in the right knee.
Kyrie Irving, meanwhile, poured in 15 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter on a series of dazzling shake-and-bake plays. And Washington’s two baskets down the stretch closed the lid on a game that enabled the Mavs to breathe a sigh of relief after the collapse they experienced against Cleveland.
With 10 blocks, numerous deflections and a 50-44 advantage in rebounds, the Mavs put their big boy pants on and came to do what they had to do to get back on track in the rugged Western Conference.
“I thought the defense was really good,” Kidd said. “I know we gave up 125 points, but just looking at the deflections, the (seven) steals. I thought we sat down there in the third quarter and turned the water off from them.
“They’re a dangerous team. We knew this was sort of like Indiana in a sense that we might be matched up with someone, but with all the switching that they do, that you could be facing someone else. And I tho
ught the group did a really good job of talking it out.”
Tim Hardaway Jr. got his groove back as he converted 4-of-10 baskets from three-point range and collected 16 points. Also, Daniel Gafford had 13 points and seven boards, and rookie Dereck Lively II punished the Raptors inside the paint with his five blocked shots to go with nine points and two steals.
“He protected us all night on that end,” Washington said, referring to Lively. “Being able to have a guy like that down low — and even D-Gaff — just blocking shots is really good for them. I’m just glad they’re on our team.”
Kidd was even discussing the character of his team putting aside Tuesday’s devastating loss to the Cavaliers and fighting back to beat Toronto, who led by seven points late in the first quarter.
“I thought the intent, the energy pregame was in the right place,” Kidd said. “Understanding we lost on a (59) footer and we easily could still be thinking about that game. But I thought the guys moved forward.”
And now the Mavs will move forward and complete this four-game road trip on Friday against a Boston Celtic team who has the best record in the entire NBA.
“I think it was not who’s coming up Friday,” Kidd said. “It’s what happened in less than 24 hours. I think the group understood we put ourselves in a position to win last night (in Cleveland). It didn’t happen.
“It’s like the pitcher who gives up the home run. You got to ask for the ball, because you got to throw another pitch. And I thought the group did a great job tonight of learning from what happened last night and being able to turn the page and play a team like Toronto, who is going to push. Our transition defense was tested tonight, and I thought the guys did a really good job.”
So, too, did the birthday boy. One game after missing a 45-point triple-double by one rebound, Dončić was back in his bag and blowing out the candles on his 25th birthday in grand style
“I feel like 40,” Doncic said. “Lots of games. Lots of minutes. A lot of professional basketball.”
And a lot of headaches for opposing players.
X: @DwainPrice
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