LUKA Doncic had 24 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and the Dallas Mavericks set an National Basketball Association (NBA) record for the largest halftime lead in the shot-clock era in a 124-73 win at the Los Angeles (LA) Clippers on Sunday afternoon.
Josh Richardson scored 15 of his 21 points in the first half for Dallas, which took a 77-27 lead into the break after shooting 58% from the floor and holding the Clippers to 24.3%, including one of 19 from 3-point distance.
The Golden State Warriors owned the previous record for largest halftime lead in the shot-clock era (1954-55), taking a 47-point advantage into the break against the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 2, 1991.
The Clippers played without four-time All Star forward Kawhi Leonard, who sustained a laceration near his mouth late in Friday’s win against the Denver Nuggets.
Paul George scored 15 points, and Serge Ibaka had 13 points and nine rebounds for Los Angeles.
The Clippers scored the first two points of the game, but didn’t score again until 8:11 remained in the opening quarter.
The Mavericks took their first double-digit lead on a 3-pointer by Maxi Kleber that made it 16-5 with 5:50 left in the first quarter.
Los Angeles went six minutes without a basket before Ivica Zubac scored on a dunk with 2:08 left in the opening quarter, but those points only cut the deficit to 27-9.
Dallas scored the first nine points of the second quarter to move ahead 45-13, and the Mavericks held the Clippers without a basket for another long stretch to extend their lead to 62-18 midway through the second quarter. Trey Burke hit a 3-pointer with 23.5 seconds left in the half to make it 77-27.
The Clippers scored the first 10 points of the second half for their best surge of the game, but the Mavericks outscored Los Angeles by seven points the rest of the third quarter to take a 104-57 lead into the fourth.
Dallas continued to be without forward Kristaps Porziņģis, who remains sidelines following offseason knee surgery.
LAKERS BEAT T-WOLVES
Kyle Kuzma broke loose with 20 points, all in the first half, and the Los Angeles Lakers overcame the absence of leading scorer Anthony Davis for an easy 127-91 victory Sunday over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves.
LeBron James added 18 points and nine rebounds, while playing just three quarters, as Davis sat out with a right calf contusion. The Lakers have won consecutive games in convincing fashion after a season-opening defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.
Kuzma, who averaged 12.8 points last season and did not score more than 15 points in either of the Lakers’ first two games, reached his 20 points on 8 of 11 shooting in the opening two quarters, making four of his six 3-point attempts.
Rookie Anthony Edwards scored 15 points and Naz Reid added 11 as the Timberwolves were unable to overcome the absence of leading rebounder and third-leading scorer Karl-Anthony Towns, who dislocated his wrist late in a road victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday. — Reuters