The Dallas Mavericks face the Oklahoma City Thunder in NBA action on Thursday, March 14, 2024 (3/14/24) at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
How to watch: Fans can watch the game for free with a free trial. DirecTV Stream.
Here's what you need to know:
what: NBA game
who: Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
when: Thursday, March 14, 2024
where: Paycom Center
time: 10pm ET
tv set:TNT
Channel finder: verizon fios, AT&T U-verse, comcast xfinity, spectrum/charter, Optimum/Altis, cox, DirecTV, dish, Hulu, Fubo TV, sling.
live stream: DirecTV Stream (Free trial)
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Recent AP NBA articles include:
CHICAGO (AP) — Luka Doncic has another triple-double. The only thing he couldn't do was keep his streak going.
Doncic scored 27 points and also recorded a triple-double, but failed to score 30 points for the first time in seven games as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Chicago Bulls 127-92 on Monday night.
Doncic had 14 assists and 12 rebounds, but suffered a blowout midway through the fourth quarter, ending his NBA record for consecutive 30-point triple-doubles with just six.
“The important thing is to beat him,” coach Jason Kidd said. “The numbers, I don't know if they really mean anything to him today. But when he retires, he's going to look back and realize that the game he was playing was on a different level than anyone else. You will notice that.”
Former Bulls center Daniel Gafford made all nine of his field goals, extending his streak to 28, seven shy of the NBA record. Wilt Chamberlain scored 35 consecutive goals for the Philadelphia 76ers from February 17, 1967 to February 28, 1967.
“My philosophy is to be consistent and have the mindset to just get everything done regardless of who is in front of me or not,” Gafford said. “At the end of the day, it’s either you dunk it or you get it to the rim.”
Doncic dictated the flow of the game as Dallas outscored Chicago by 28 points in the first quarter. The Mavericks surrendered their lowest point total of the season while suffering the most lopsided loss to the Bulls.
Derek Lively II finished with 22 points and Gafford had 20 points. The two shot 20-of-21, making them the first players since New York's Nate Robinson and Wilson Chandler on Nov. 12, 2008 at Memphis to score 20 each while shooting over 95 percent. They became the first pair to score more points.
The Mavericks won their third straight game after losing three in a row, shooting about 55% from the field as Doncic and their big men beat them in the pick-and-roll.
“We gave up a lot of rolls to the basket and offensive rebounds,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. “We have to be drawn in more than ever. … We were too worried about getting back to the 3-point line instead of saying, 'Hey, we're going to take the roll.' ”
Onuralp Bitim led Chicago with 17 points. DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic each scored 13 points for the Bulls, who allowed 60 points in the paint and lost their second straight game.
The Mavericks raced to a 62-42 lead in the first quarter and half, giving up their fewest points of the season. They outscored Chicago 44-16 early.
Doncic had 15 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in the first half, coming just short of a triple-double. He finished with 15 points, six assists, and six rebounds in the first quarter.
Dallas outscored Chicago 19-2 in the final 3:45 of the period, starting with a dunk by Lively. Doncic had eight points and two 3-pointers in the span, including a step-back shot from beyond the arc late in the quarter.
After Chicago rimmed out on a Coby White three, Josh Green scored one for Dallas as time expired, making the game 28 points.
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Mavericks: Host Golden State on Wednesday.
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