Doncic, Mavs edge Curry, Warriors in West finals replay

Tim Hardaway Jr. had to watch when his Dallas Mavericks lost to the Golden State Warriors in last season’s Western Conference finals.

He found himself in the middle of some playoff intensity in their first meeting this season.

Hardaway hit a go-ahead 3-pointer late, Luka Doncic scored 41 points in his NBA-leading fifth triple-double and the Mavericks held off the Warriors 116-113 on Tuesday night. Dallas ended a four-game losing streak, the longest in two seasons under coach Jason Kidd. Golden State, a winner in five matches last spring on the way to the title, lost for just the second time in seven games after a slow start to its season.

“For me, it was,” Hardaway, who missed the 2022 postseason recovering from a broken foot, said of whether he felt the playoff vibe.

“Just because of the excitement, and me not being able to play in the Western Conference finals. Just wanting to go out there and compete, have fun. Playing against the champs.”

Stephen Curry scored 32 points for Golden State, counting a quick-draw 3-pointer over Maxi Kleber for a 110-108 lead, but Dallas responded by scoring the next five points to go ahead for good.

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Hardaway, who scored 22 points, answered Curry’s 3 on Doncic’s 12th and final assist with 1:49 remaining. Josh Green’s short jumper came after Doncic blocked Curry’s layup try.

“Hardaway’s shot was the key, I thought, down the stretch,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We have to expect that teams are going to make shots against us. We’re going to be circled on every team’s calendar.”

The Warriors were down two when Curry was called for traveling — the 10th of the game between both teams — with 10 seconds remaining.

“Bang, bang situation,” Curry said. “Dumb play by me to not take the layup. I got a little confused on what the time and score was. Going for the hero shot. I didn’t think it was a travel to the point where let the play run out. But who am I to say?”

Golden State had one more opportunity after Dorian Finney-Smith missed one of two free throws to keep the deficit at three. Klay Thompson got a good look off for 3, but the shot was short as Curry’s Splash Brother finished 1 of 6 from deep with five points.

Doncic also had 12 rebounds in his 51st career triple-double.

Jonathan Kuminga had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Golden State, which trailed by 17 in the first quarter but took its first lead before halftime.

Spencer Dinwiddie scored 14 points for Dallas before he was ejected for a flagrant-2 penalty when his elbow hit Jordan Poole in the face on an offensive foul early in the fourth quarter.

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