DALLAS — Luka Doncic’s statistics in the Mavericks’ 108-92 Monday night weren’t as gaudy as his recent career-best performances and triple-doubles against the Pelicans.
Perhaps he used up his Luka Magic last outing with his game-winning buzzer beater.
But Dallas didn’t require late-game heroics from their 22-year-old All-Star this time.
They just needed a steady dose of his physical drives, crafty passes and burgeoning defensive tenacity -- and a strong third-into-fourth-quarter surge by his teammates -- to stave off the Pelicans’ upset threat.
Doncic finished with 25 points, five rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block in 33 minutes. Jalen Brunson and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 17 points apiece to help power the Mavericks’ second three-game winning streak of the season.
Fans who entered American Airlines Center eager to watch a rare November home game -- the Mavericks play six of their next seven before Thanksgiving on the road -- might’ve expected more fireworks from Doncic.
After all, he set his career-high in scoring (46 points) and made field goals (17) against New Orleans last February.
Doncic also had triple doubles in three of his last seven games against the Pelicans before Monday, and New Orleans fell victim to two of Doncic’s three best rebounding games while in the NBA: 18 boards in December 2019 and 17 in March 2020.
In short, Doncic has thrived against the Pelicans.
But Monday started differently.
The Pelicans opened a double-digit advantage in the first 10 minutes. Dallas didn’t lead by more than two points until midway through the second quarter, and Doncic committed four of his five total turnovers in the first half.
The Mavericks also endured a short scare when Doncic went down in pain during the first quarter. Willie Cauley-Stein fell into Doncic’s right ankle during a rebounding sequence on defense, and Doncic grabbed at his ankle immediately, wincing in pain.
But after walking to the bench during a break in play, Doncic waved off help from the trainers, and didn’t appear hampered for the remainder of the game.
By season-long statistics, the matchup before tipoff didn’t appear to be close.
The Pelicans, who started the game tied with Houston for the NBA’s worst record (1-9), played Monday without their two All-Stars. Zion Williamson hasn’t returned from offseason foot surgery, and Brandon Ingram has missed the last five games with a hip contusion.
New Orleans also entered on a six-game losing streak -- their last by 41 points to the Warriors -- and on the final stop in a four-game road trip.
But Kidd warned the Mavericks against becoming “lackadaisical” against taking the Pelicans, highlighting before the game that New Orleans had pulled within 2 points of the Warriors in the third quarter Friday before the blowout result.
Perhaps the Mavericks needed a reminder at halftime.
From the 4:23 mark in the third quarter through three minutes and 45 seconds into the fourth, Dallas outscored the Pelicans 25-5.
Doncic played all but two minutes of the third quarter and ensured the Mavericks didn’t wilt as the Pelicans pulled within 8 points in the last three minutes.
Doncic scored five points -- a layup and a high-arcing 3-pointer -- in the last 1:20 to rebuild the Mavericks’ double-digit lead and ensure he watched the final seconds from the bench, another win in hand.
Injury update: Looking for an estimate on Maxi Kleber’s return from his left oblique strain?
So is Jason Kidd.
When asked before the game Monday if he had an update about Kleber’s original “seven to 10 days” prognosis last week, Kidd quipped: “We’re only on Day 2.”
“I don’t know either,” Kidd said. “There’s nothing new.”
Since suffering the injury in the first quarter of the Mavericks’ Oct. 31 win over the Kings -- eight days before tipoff against the Pelicans -- Kleber has watched each of the Mavericks’ games from the second row of the bench.
