MEXICO CITY _ Pistons coach Dwane Casey predicted that defending the Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic would be a team effort, with all-hands-on-deck in teaming up to guard him, not just one player.
The Pistons needed more hands.
Doncic was spectacular, bolstering his MVP campaign with a triple-double: 41 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists, including 34 of his points through three quarters.
Despite Doncic's offensive outburst, the Pistons were within single digits early in the fourth quarter but fell to the Mavericks, 122-111, on Thursday night at Mexico City Arena, before a sellout crowd of 20,064.
Andre Drummond had 23 points and 15 rebounds and Derrick Rose 16 points for the Pistons (10-15), who ended their two-game winning streak.
Doncic was the story, though, with the highest point total and first triple-double in an NBA game in Mexico City.
The Pistons trailed by 24 but made a charge late in the third quarter behind Rose and Markieff Morris (16 points). The pair combined for 17 straight Pistons points, including two 3-pointers each, igniting a 19-2 run to get the Pistons within 95-85 entering the fourth quarter.
Doncic got going early, with 15 points in the first quarter. When Seth Curry (28 points, seven rebounds and four assists) entered in the final minutes of the period, he picked up where Doncic left off, hitting a 3-pointer and scoring on a drive. Christian Wood finished the quarter with a dunk, pulling the Pistons within 34-29. Curry continued the onslaught, with back-to-back 3-pointers and scored 16 straight points for the Mavericks, helping push the lead to 45-37.
