STREAK SNAPPED

Mavericks win seventh straight and end Rockets' 11-game win streak

Rockets Jalen Green, Ime Udoka
Mavericks defeat Rockets, 125-107. Composite Getty Image.

Luka Doncic had 47 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, Kyrie Irving added 24 points and seven assists, and the Dallas Mavericks won their seventh straight and snapped the Houston Rockets’ 11-game winning streak with a 125-107 victory on Sunday night.

Doncic scored 32 points in the first half on 12-of-18 shooting, going 6 of 10 on 3-pointers, as the Mavs led 66-45. Doncic had 22 in the first quarter alone and finished 18 of 30 from the field, including 9 of 16 on 3s. He tied his career high for 3-pointers.

“When you talk about best player in the world, understanding the time and where we are in the schedule and this road trip, he came out and showed why he’s one of the best in the world,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. “He set the tone offensively. … He put the ball in the basket, was able to read and play the defense we saw tonight. It’s up to him to do his job, and he did it at a high level tonight."

Doncic had a highlight reel shot, making an underhand lob from inside the 3-point line as time was expiring on the shot clock early in the third quarter.

“To see him do that, I feel a lot of people got excited, but I think at the same time, that’s Luka,” Kidd said. “He’s always able to make tough shots. He’s Picasso. Give him the paintbrush, he’s going to do something special. That shot was pretty special.”

Dante Exum scored 13 points and P.J. Washington had 12 points and six rebounds for the Mavericks. Dallas shot 52% and made a season-high 24 3-pointers in 47 attempts (51%).

“We were aggressive,” Doncic said. “They switched, so I think me and (Kyrie) went to work. Everybody else was open, so we were able to knock those shots down.”

Dallas tied idle New Orleans for fifth in the Western Conference with eight games remaining for each team.

Jabari Smith Jr. scored 28 points and Aaron Holiday added 16, but Jalen Green was held to just 12 on 5-for-15 shooting as Houston’s push for a play-in spot stalled. The Rockets fell to two games behind 10th place Golden State for the final play-in spot in the West.

“We didn’t play our best tonight,” Houston coach Ime Udoka said. “Doncic was too comfortable. Not to diminish what we did, but let’s get it back going. … It’s one game. One guy played really well for them. A few others made shots, but we didn’t particularly play great.”

Houston shot 42% and was 13 of 38 on 3s.

Dallas used a 23-7 spurt in the first quarter to open up a 30-17 lead on Doncic’s 3-pointer with three minutes left. After Houston closed within 47-37 with 5:43 left in the second, the Mavericks outscored Houston 19-8 to end the half, capped by Doncic’s three-point play.

UP NEXT

Mavericks: Travels to Golden State on Tuesday.

Rockets: At Minnesota on Tuesday.

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The Cubs beat the Astros, 12-3. Composite Getty Image.

Kyle Tucker launched a three-run homer and matched a season high with four hits against the team that traded him in December, and the Chicago Cubs routed Houston 12-3 on Saturday night to stop the Astros' five-game winning streak.

Tucker also scored four times to pace a Cubs lineup that pounded out 15 hits, including three by Dansby Swanson. Seiya Suzuki, Michael Busch and Nico Hoerner also went deep.

Chicago hit three homers in an inning for the second time this season during a seven-run fourth. Busch and Hoerner had back-to-back solo shots to put the Cubs on top 3-2, and Tucker’s drive made it 7-2.

The offensive outburst came in support of Colin Rea (5-3), who allowed two runs and five hits over five innings. The only blemish on his line was rookie Cam Smith’s two-run homer in the third, which briefly gave the Astros a 2-1 lead.

Smith, part of the package Houston received for Tucker, finished with two hits and has homered in consecutive games for the first time in his career.

Lance McCullers Jr. (1-3) came off the injured list and allowed eight runs on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings.

Isaac Paredes, also part of the Astros' trade return for Tucker, hit his 17th home run.

Key moment

Tucker’s three-run homer in the fourth that put the Cubs ahead 7-2.

Key stat

McCullers has a 10.89 ERA in five home starts this season, but hasn’t allowed an earned run in three road starts.

Up next

Houston LHP Framber Valdez (8-4, 2.88 ERA) opposes RHP Jameson Taillon (7-5, 4.77 ERA) when the series concludes Sunday.

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