Doncic scores 29, Irving adds 25 and Mavericks roll past Heat 111-92 to claim Southwest Division
MIAMI (AP) Kyrie Irving clinched a $1 million bonus. Luka Doncic nearly got another triple-double. Daniel Gafford's latest can't-miss streak continued.
Oh, and the red-hot Dallas Mavericks won again.
Doncic scored 29 points and added nine rebounds and nine assists, Irving scored 25 points and the Mavericks wrapped up the Southwest Division title by beating the Miami Heat 111-92 on Wednesday night - Dallas' 16th win in its last 18 games.
“Sounds great," Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “We checked the box on one goal.”
Dallas (50-30) will face the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs - that series starting either April 20 or 21. It'll be the third opening-round matchup between those teams in the last four seasons; the Clippers won each of the first two, prevailing in 2021 and 2022.
Irving got his bonus because Dallas got 50 wins and he has appeared in at least 50 games.
“We just know that the job isn't finished and we’re just getting started," Irving said. "But we do have to celebrate the small wins. And tonight was a step in that direction of just celebrating a small win, just to get to 50 wins. Some guys in that locker room haven't experienced 50 wins.”
“It's a total organizational effort, top to bottom,” Irving said of reaching the 50-win mark and getting the division title.
Tyler Herro led the Heat with 21 points. Kevin Love had 16 points and 11 rebounds, Caleb Martin scored 14 and Jimmy Butler had 12 for the Heat, who made the NBA Finals out of the play-in last year and might have to try the same route this year.
“We have a great group,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We have a very competitive locker room. We all want the same thing. And sometimes, this league can just really humble you. And that's what happened tonight.”
Miami could have assured itself no worse than the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference standings by winning its final three games, all at home, starting with the Mavericks and then wrapping up with games against Toronto on Friday and Sunday.
But once again, the home-court edge was not enough of an edge for the Heat. Miami fell to 20-19 at home this season, after going 24-17 in road games during the regular season. The Heat need two wins and a lot of help to avoid going on the road for the first play-in tournament game next week.
“We didn't come out with as much intensity as we should have," Heat center Bam Adebayo said. “We've got to be better than that.”
It was all Dallas early, and pretty much stayed that way; Miami got within nine and eight on separate possessions in the fourth quarter, but no closer. Dallas led by as many as 25 in the first half, the fifth time this season that Miami got that far behind on its home floor - and the third such game in the last seven Heat home contests.
Derrick Jones Jr., P.J. Washington and Gafford all finished with 12 points for Dallas; those three players, along with Irving and Doncic, are part of a starting lineup that is now 15-1 this season. Gafford - he of the streak of 33 consecutive made field goals that ended last month - was 6 for 6, extending his current streak of made shots to 22 and counting.
“It's amazing,” Kidd said.
UP NEXT
Mavericks: Host Detroit on Friday night.
Heat: Host Toronto on Friday night.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 |  | Daniel Gafford vs. Bam Adebayo (Derrick Jones Jr. gains possession) | ||
| 11:37 |  | Kyrie Irving misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 11:34 | | Bam Adebayo defensive rebound | ||
| 11:34 | | Kyrie Irving personal foul (Bam Adebayo draws the foul) | ||
| 11:25 | | Luka Doncic shooting foul (Tyler Herro draws the foul) | ||
| 11:25 | | +1 | Tyler Herro makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 0-1 |
| 11:25 | | +1 | Tyler Herro makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 0-2 |
| 11:05 | | Derrick Jones Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:03 | | Nikola Jovic defensive rebound | ||
| 10:54 | | Nikola Jovic misses two point turnaround jump shot | ||
| 10:52 | | Daniel Gafford defensive rebound | ||
| 10:47 | | Kyrie Irving turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 10:30 | | +2 | Bam Adebayo makes two point floating jump shot (Caleb Martin assists) | 0-4 |
| 10:17 | | +3 | Luka Doncic makes three point stepback jump shot | 3-4 |
| 9:53 | | +2 | Nikola Jovic makes two point driving layup (Jimmy Butler assists) | 3-6 |
| 9:40 | | +3 | Luka Doncic makes three point jump shot (Daniel Gafford assists) | 6-6 |
| 9:27 | | +2 | Tyler Herro makes two point driving layup | 6-8 |
| 9:13 | | Luka Doncic misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 9:11 | | Luka Doncic offensive rebound | ||
| 9:10 | | +2 | Luka Doncic makes two point putback layup | 8-8 |
| 8:59 | | Bam Adebayo misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:56 | | Kyrie Irving defensive rebound | ||
| 8:51 | | Bam Adebayo personal foul (Luka Doncic draws the foul) | ||
| 8:40 | | Caleb Martin blocks Kyrie Irving's two point driving floating bank jump shot | ||
| 8:38 | | Heat defensive rebound | ||
| 8:21 | | +3 | Caleb Martin makes three point jump shot (Jimmy Butler assists) | 8-11 |
| 8:02 | | +2 | Derrick Jones Jr. makes two point fadeaway jump shot (Daniel Gafford assists) | 10-11 |
| 7:48 | | Caleb Martin misses two point driving layup | ||
| 7:47 | | Caleb Martin offensive rebound | ||
| 7:47 | | +2 | Caleb Martin makes two point tip layup | 10-13 |
| 7:34 | | Luka Doncic turnover (bad pass) (Jimmy Butler steals) | ||
| 7:28 | | Caleb Martin misses three point running jump shot | ||
| 7:24 | | Caleb Martin offensive rebound | ||
| 7:12 | | Nikola Jovic misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 7:09 | | Luka Doncic defensive rebound | ||
| 6:56 | | +2 | Luka Doncic makes two point driving finger roll layup (Maxi Kleber assists) | 12-13 |
| 6:42 | | Maxi Kleber blocks Bam Adebayo's two point driving layup | ||
| 6:41 | | Heat offensive rebound | ||
| 6:41 | | Heat 60 second timeout | ||
| 6:37 | | Tyler Herro turnover (bad pass) (P.J. Washington steals) | ||
| 6:34 | | +2 | P.J. Washington makes two point running dunk (Luka Doncic assists) | 14-13 |
| 6:17 | | +3 | Jimmy Butler makes three point jump shot (Caleb Martin assists) | 14-16 |
| 5:53 | | +3 | P.J. Washington makes three point jump shot (Kyrie Irving assists) | 17-16 |
| 5:35 | | Tyler Herro misses two point pullup jump shot | ||
| 5:33 | | Kyrie Irving defensive rebound | ||
| 5:26 | | P.J. Washington misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:23 | | Tyler Herro defensive rebound | ||
| 5:01 | | Luka Doncic shooting foul (Tyler Herro draws the foul) | ||
| 5:01 | | +1 | Tyler Herro makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 17-17 |
| 5:01 | | +1 | Tyler Herro makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 17-18 |
| 4:50 | | +3 | Luka Doncic makes three point pullup jump shot | 20-18 |
| 4:33 | | Bam Adebayo misses two point fadeaway bank jump shot | ||
| 4:31 | | Luka Doncic defensive rebound | ||
| 4:26 | | Luka Doncic misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 4:23 | | Tyler Herro defensive rebound | ||
| 4:18 | | Tyler Herro misses two point running pullup jump shot | ||
| 4:17 | | Luka Doncic defensive rebound | ||
| 4:04 | | Nikola Jovic personal foul (Maxi Kleber draws the foul) | ||
| 3:51 | | Dante Exum misses two point pullup jump shot | ||
| 3:48 | | Tim Hardaway Jr. offensive rebound | ||
| 3:47 | | Tim Hardaway Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:47 | | Heat defensive rebound | ||
| 3:46 | | Luka Doncic personal foul (Loose ball) (Bam Adebayo draws the foul) | ||
| 3:27 | | +3 | Jaime Jaquez Jr. makes three point jump shot (Nikola Jovic assists) | 20-21 |
| 3:04 | | +3 | Dante Exum makes three point bank jump shot (Tim Hardaway Jr. assists) | 23-21 |
| 2:53 | | Bam Adebayo misses two point jump shot | ||
| 2:50 | | Dante Exum defensive rebound | ||
| 2:44 | | +3 | Kyrie Irving makes three point running pullup jump shot (Dante Exum assists) | 26-21 |
| 2:43 | | Heat 60 second timeout | ||
| 2:23 | | Jimmy Butler misses two point jump shot | ||
| 2:20 | | Mavericks defensive rebound | ||
| 2:16 | | Jump ball. Kyrie Irving vs. Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Tim Hardaway Jr. gains possession) | ||
| 1:59 | | Kyrie Irving misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:57 | | Kevin Love defensive rebound | ||
| 1:44 | | Jimmy Butler turnover (out of bounds lost ball) | ||
| 1:31 | | Tim Hardaway Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Jimmy Butler steals) | ||
| 1:23 | | +3 | Patty Mills makes three point jump shot (Jimmy Butler assists) | 26-24 |
| 0:59 | | +2 | Kyrie Irving makes two point stepback jump shot | 28-24 |
| 0:50 | | Jaime Jaquez Jr. turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 0:36 | | +3 | Kyrie Irving makes three point jump shot | 31-24 |
| 0:19 | | Patty Mills misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:16 | | Josh Green defensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | +2 | Kyrie Irving makes two point fadeaway jump shot | 33-24 |
| 0:00 | | End of period |
| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:37 | | Derrick Jones Jr. shooting foul (Patty Mills draws the foul) | ||
| 11:37 | | +1 | Patty Mills makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 33-25 |
| 11:37 | | +1 | Patty Mills makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 33-26 |
| 11:15 | | +2 | Kyrie Irving makes two point driving reverse layup | 35-26 |
| 11:08 | | Jimmy Butler turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 10:57 | | +2 | Daniel Gafford makes two point cutting layup (Josh Green assists) | 37-26 |
| 10:44 | | Josh Green personal foul (Jaime Jaquez Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 10:33 | | Jimmy Butler turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 10:17 | | Haywood Highsmith personal foul (Kyrie Irving draws the foul) | ||
| 10:15 | | Tim Hardaway Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:15 | | Mavericks offensive rebound | ||
| 10:15 | | Kevin Love personal foul (Loose ball) (Daniel Gafford draws the foul) | ||
| 10:03 | | Derrick Jones Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:01 | | Kevin Love defensive rebound | ||
| 9:56 | | Jimmy Butler misses two point running dunk | ||
| 9:54 | | Josh Green defensive rebound | ||
| 9:49 | | Derrick Jones Jr. misses two point running reverse layup | ||
| 9:47 | | Caleb Martin defensive rebound | ||
| 9:41 | | +3 | Kevin Love makes three point jump shot (Caleb Martin assists) | 37-29 |
| 9:18 | | Josh Green misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:15 | | Kevin Love defensive rebound | ||
| 9:05 | | Jimmy Butler turnover (lost ball) (Kyrie Irving steals) | ||
| 9:00 | | +3 | Kyrie Irving makes three point running pullup jump shot | 40-29 |
| 8:49 | | Derrick Jones Jr. blocks Caleb Martin's two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 8:44 | | Daniel Gafford defensive rebound | ||
| 8:44 | | +2 | Tim Hardaway Jr. makes two point running dunk (Josh Green assists) | 42-29 |
| 8:44 | | Heat 60 second timeout | ||
| 8:23 | | +2 | Caleb Martin makes two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot | 42-31 |
| 8:08 | | +3 | Kyrie Irving makes three point jump shot (Luka Doncic assists) | 45-31 |
| 7:44 | | +3 | Caleb Martin makes three point jump shot (Tyler Herro assists) | 45-34 |
| 7:19 | | Luka Doncic misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 7:16 | | Tyler Herro defensive rebound | ||
| 7:12 | | Caleb Martin misses two point running layup | ||
| 7:10 | | Daniel Gafford defensive rebound | ||
| 7:06 | | +2 | Derrick Jones Jr. makes two point running alley-oop dunk (Luka Doncic assists) | 47-34 |
| 6:48 | | +2 | Tyler Herro makes two point driving layup | 47-36 |
| 6:33 | | Jaime Jaquez Jr. shooting foul (Luka Doncic draws the foul) | ||
| 6:33 | | +1 | Luka Doncic makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 48-36 |
| 6:33 | | +1 | Luka Doncic makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 49-36 |
| 6:17 | | Bam Adebayo misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 6:15 | | P.J. Washington defensive rebound | ||
| 6:10 | | +2 | Daniel Gafford makes two point running dunk (Luka Doncic assists) | 51-36 |
| 5:57 | | +2 | Tyler Herro makes two point driving floating jump shot (Caleb Martin assists) | 51-38 |
| 5:41 | | +2 | Daniel Gafford makes two point turnaround hook shot (Luka Doncic assists) | 53-38 |
| 5:16 | | Bam Adebayo misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 5:14 | | Luka Doncic defensive rebound | ||
| 4:57 | | +2 | Daniel Gafford makes two point layup | 55-38 |
| 4:47 | | Tyler Herro misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:44 | | Daniel Gafford defensive rebound | ||
| 4:40 | | +3 | Tim Hardaway Jr. makes three point running pullup jump shot (Luka Doncic assists) | 58-38 |
| 4:38 | | Heat 60 second timeout | ||
| 4:14 | | Nikola Jovic misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 4:11 | | Tyler Herro offensive rebound | ||
| 4:09 | | P.J. Washington personal foul (Bam Adebayo draws the foul) | ||
| 3:57 | | Caleb Martin turnover (lost ball) (Kyrie Irving steals) | ||
| 3:47 | | +2 | Daniel Gafford makes two point layup (P.J. Washington assists) | 60-38 |
| 3:33 | | Bam Adebayo misses two point floating jump shot | ||
| 3:31 | | Haywood Highsmith offensive rebound | ||
| 3:30 | | +2 | Haywood Highsmith makes two point putback layup | 60-40 |
| 3:02 | | Tim Hardaway Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:59 | | P.J. Washington offensive rebound | ||
| 2:56 | |