CHICAGO – For Saturday night, the Dallas Mavericks outlasted the Chicago Bulls 120-119 at the United Center. With the victory, they not only secured their 37th win of the season but also jumped to the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference, thanks to the Orlando Magic’s triumph over the Sacramento Kings.
Klay Thompson led the Mavericks with 20 points, while P.J. Washington followed closely with 19. Anthony Davis added 18 points, marking his third game since returning from injury. Spencer Dinwiddie had a notable performance, achieving a double-double with 14 points and 11 assists.
The game started sluggishly for the Mavericks, allowing Chicago to take an early 12-5 lead. However, after a strategic timeout, they quickly responded with an 8-0 run, largely thanks to Spencer Dinwiddie’s effort. By the end of the first quarter, the Mavericks trailed 34-30.
In the second quarter, Chicago extended its lead to 12 points before Klay Thompson ignited a Mavericks’ comeback with three consecutive three-pointers. The Mavs converted an 11-0 scoring run to regain the lead as they went into halftime with a slight advantage, 58-55.
The third quarter was a seesaw affair, with both teams trading buckets frequently. The Mavericks managed to hold a narrow lead of 89-87 as they headed into the fourth quarter.
Early in the final period, an impressive assist from Anthony Davis to Kai Jones for a dunk sparked a 9-point lead for the Mavericks. However, the Bulls were resilient and managed to close the gap to just three points towards the end of the game. Key threes from Klay Thompson and Spencer Dinwiddie helped stabilize the score for Dallas.
“We just focused on playing defense and executing our game plan towards the end,” Thompson said after the game. “It was one of those nights where every point counted.”
Late-game jitters almost cost the Mavericks as the Bulls made a late push. The Dallas defense fouled Nikola Vucevic to minimize Chicago’s chances to attempt a crucial shot. In the end, despite a final three-pointer by Vucevic with just 0.9 seconds remaining, the Mavericks held on to their lead.
Chicago’s Matas Buzelis shined brightly with 28 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. Coby White and Nikola Vucevic each added 25 points for the Bulls, who have been one of the hottest teams lately, winning eight of their last ten games.
The Mavericks celebrated an essential victory as they improved to 37-38 while Chicago fell to 33-41. Coach Jason Kidd reflected on the journey, saying, “This win is crucial for our momentum as we move toward the playoffs. We just need to keep fighting, one game at a time.”
The Mavericks will return home to face the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night while Chicago heads to Oklahoma City for their next matchup.
