EditorsNote: Removed Barnes' 1st name in duplicate reference in 12th graf
Luka Doncic established a career high of 17 assists to go with 25 points and 15 rebounds while leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 127-123 victory over the host Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.
The triple-double was the 12th of the season for the second-year star as Dallas won its third consecutive game. Seth Curry made five 3-pointers while scoring 21 points for the Mavericks.
Dallas' Tim Hardaway Jr. added 18 points, Dwight Powell registered 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting and collected nine rebounds, Dorian Finney-Smith scored 15 points, and Maxi Kleber had 14.
De'Aaron Fox recorded 27 points and 12 assists for the Kings, who lost their third straight game. Buddy Hield and Harrison Barnes added 25 points apiece, Marvin Bagley III had 12 points, and Nemanja Bjelica contributed 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Dallas power forward Kristaps Porzingis (knee) missed his ninth straight game after he was ruled out shortly before game time.
Powell, who has received increased playing time with Porzingis sidelined, has made 44 of 54 field-goal attempts (81.5 percent) over the past seven games.
The Mavericks shot 51.1 percent from the floor, including 13 of 40 from 3-point range.
Sacramento shot 52.1 percent from the field and was 12 of 33 from behind the arc.
The Kings scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to pull within 108-99 with 10:56 remaining.
Dallas answered with a 9-2 push and took a 16-point lead on Curry's 3-pointer with 7:54 remaining.
Sacramento later pulled within 124-118 on a 3-pointer by Hield with 1:34 left.
Fox's basket moved the Kings within 125-120 with 19.2 seconds left. Doncic split two free throws for Dallas before Barnes drained a 3-pointer to pull Sacramento within 126-123.
Curry split two free throws with 8.9 seconds left, and the Mavericks held on.
Earlier, Hardaway connected on back-to-back 3-pointers and Doncic added a basket during an 8-0 spurt that saw Dallas open an 83-70 advantage with 8:18 left in the third quarter.
The lead reached 99-83 later in the quarter when Finney-Smith knocked down a 3-pointer and scored on a tip-in during a 34-second stretch.
Justin Jackson made a 37-foot 3-pointer as time expired in the third quarter to give the Mavericks a 108-93 lead.
Curry scored 16 first-half points, and Dallas held a 71-67 lead at the break. Hield tallied 16 for Sacramento before halftime.
--Field Level Media
