DALLAS (AP) 鈥� Luka Doncic had 34 points and 12 rebounds, and the Dallas Mavericks turned up the defensive intensity in a 115-90 victory over the Miami Heat on Friday night.
The Mavericks were without No. 2 scorer Christian Wood, who missed the first of what will be multiple games with a broken left thumb.
They responded two nights after blistering criticism of their defense from coach Jason Kidd by holding the Heat to 33% shooting in the first and third quarters combined while outscoring Miami 63-35.
Dallas gave up 40 points in the first quarter of a 130-122 loss to Atlanta, a third consecutive defeat in which the Mavs allowed at least 130 points. Miami's total was a season low for a Mavericks opponent.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 me calling them out or saying we had a walkthrough, shootaround during the game against Atlanta,鈥� Kidd said. 鈥淚 just think you could see they were flying around. So now we鈥檝e got to hold them to that standard.鈥�
Victor Oladipo scored 20 points and Bam Adebayo had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat, who came to Dallas on a 4-1 roll that had them a season-high four games over .500.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 19 for the Mavericks, and Reggie Bullock added 15 on 5-of-6 shooting from 3-point range. Doncic was 5 of 8 from deep as the Mavericks finished at 47% (18 of 38).
Miami cut a 17-point first-half deficit to six early in the third quarter but ended up getting outscored 32-16 in the period while shooting just 32%. Dallas led 92-67 after three.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we brought a great motor and level of detail to our offense,鈥� Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. 鈥淎nd I know that was a big point of emphasis for them to really get after us. They鈥檇 been giving up a lot of points, so you knew you were going to get their best defensive effort.鈥�
Doncic capped the solid defensive first quarter for Dallas with a 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 31-19 lead. The NBA scoring leader had matching 11-point totals in the first and third.
TIP-INS
Heat: It was the last road game of the season against a Western Conference team. The Heat dropped to 15-9 against the West, including 7-7 on the road with a victory over San Antonio in Mexico City. ... Tyler Herro had 16 points but a game-high four turnovers. ... Jimmy Butler was limited to seven shots and scored 12 points.
Mavericks: Dorian Finney-Smith scored 10 points before getting into foul trouble in his second game after missing 14 with a right adductor strain. He picked up his fifth foul late in the third quarter. ... It was also the second game back for Josh Green after missing 20 with a right elbow sprain. He scored 12, including an alley-oop dunk on Doncic's seventh and final assist in the fourth quarter.
3-POINT SURGE
Bullock is 19 of 29 from 3-point territory (66%) over his past four games to bring his season percentage up from 31%, the lowest since his rookie season in 2013-14, to 36%. The current percentage is almost exactly where he was in 2021-22 in helping Dallas reach the Western Conference finals.
鈥淛ust continue to just keep believing in my shot,鈥� Bullock said. 鈥淚 believe in the work that I continue to keep putting in. It was a very slow start for me, but the organization, the team, every day they're telling me, 鈥楽hoot the ball, shoot the ball.鈥�"
UP NEXT
Heat: At home against New Orleans on Sunday for the second meeting in five days. Miami ended the Pelicans' 32-game streak of scoring at least 100 points in a 124-98 victory Wednesday.
Mavericks: The Clippers visit Sunday two weeks after Los Angeles won 113-101 at home in the first meeting of the season.
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Schuyler Dixon, The Associated Press
