The Dallas Mavericks lost to the Denver Nuggets 130-104 on Monday night in Denver, as Luka Doncic again led the way with 38 points.
Doncic is averaging 32.9 points per game to lead the team this season, but on Monday, he was just about the only scoring threat Dallas had in the absence of Kyrie Irving.
Guard Dante Exum was the only other Mavericks player to score in double figures, finishing the game with 11 points. Tim Hardaway Jr., averaging 17.3 points on the season, missed seven three-pointers on a 3-12 shooting night that resulted in just eight points, and star free agent addition Grant Williams had seven.
“We got some good looks,” head coach Jason Kidd told the media postgame. “It’s kind of like the Minnesota game. Give Denver credit. We just missed them. We had some good looks, but we’ve got to be better defensively if we’re not scoring. … Our defense, if we’re not scoring, has to be better to give us a chance. We just can’t rely on Luka to have 40 to bail us out.”
Defensively, the Mavericks rank 22nd out of 30 NBA teams in points allowed to the opposition with 117.6 per game, 6.2 points above the league average, and have allowed opponents to score at least 112 points 19 times so far this season, including each of their last five games.
Health has been an issue for the Mavs all season, with several key players missing crucial playing time. Rookie center Dereck Lively II, drafted for his athleticism and defensive prowess, became the latest player added to the list as he missed Monday’s contest with an ankle injury.
“It’s next man up,” Kidd said after the loss. “We’re pros. You’ve got to be ready. We’ve been like this pretty much the whole year. We’ve had injuries. … It’s the next man, and sometimes it can catch up to you, but tonight, it’s a nine-point game at halftime, and it’s anybody’s ball game. No one had really taken any control of the game, but when we can’t score and we can’t get stops, that’s not a good recipe to win. We have to be better.”
