Dallas Mavericks Defeat Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday

Luka Doncic had 38 points and 11 rebounds in his return from a one-game absence, and Spencer Dinwiddie added 20 points and 10 assists as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-114 on Monday night.

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 20 for the Mavericks, who ended a two-game skid.

The Thunder cut a 15-point second-half deficit to 119-114 with 28 seconds to play. Dallas’ Reggie Bullock hit two free throws with 15.8 seconds left, and Maxi Kleber made a steal on Oklahoma City’s subsequent possession.

Doncic sat out a 29-point loss at Chicago on Saturday night with a strained right quadriceps. The Mavericks were completing a back-to-back, having played at home Friday in a 9 p.m. start.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander matched his season high with 42 points for the Thunder, who lost their third straight in the finale of a five-game road trip.

Doncic was 13 for 27 from the floor and 9 of 10 at the free-throw line. In his previous game, he hit only four of 10 free throws as the Mavericks shot a season-worst 41.7% from the line (10 of 24) in a 106-105 home loss to Milwaukee.

The Mavericks hit 22 of 54 3-pointers, while the Thunder were 10 of 31.

Dallas raced to a 12-0 lead 3½ minutes in, helped by Oklahoma City missing its first five shots and committing two turnovers. The Thunder answered with a 26-7 run to build a seven-point lead and led 28-23 after the first quarter.

The Mavericks outscored the Thunder 43-24 in the second to lead 66-52 at halftime. Dallas made 10 of 16 3-pointers in the period, paced by Hardaway going 4 for 5 and Bullock 3 for 3 behind the line.