The trend of slow starts for the Mavericks may be over but a new trend of dreadful 2nd quarter may just be beginning. The Mavericks missed Kristaps Porzingis and Maxi Kleber out but managed to take a quick 17-7 lead on the back of 3-pointers and defense. Dallas struggled to score for the second half of the first quarter though and let Miami cut that lead to 6 at 30-24 headed into the 2nd quarter.
The Heat outscored the Mavericks 18-11 to start the second quarter taking their first lead at 42-41 with two Bam Adebayo free throws. That was quickly followed by a Tyler Herro fadeaway 2 and a Markieff Morris 3 to put the heat up 47-43. Luka soon tied the game at 49 all with a 3-point straightaway step-back but that was followed but Tyler Herro clearly wants to be part of the conversation and rattled off 5 quick points of his own with PJ Tucker adding a layup. The Heat owned a 4 point lead 59-54 before Doncic cut that lead in half from the charity strip with 2:44 left in the half. That was followed by a defensive stand and a Jalen Brunson and-1 situation that led to Dallas taking a 1 point lead at 60-59 before a corner three by Kyle Lowry that put the heat back up 2. After a missed free throw and long 3 point heave by Hardaway Kyle Lowry sinks a 3 followed by DeWayne Dedmon buzzer beater to put the Heat up 70-62 going into the second half. With that final minute of effort the Heat had the highest scoring quarter of any team this season with 46.
The Heat continued to roll well into the 3rd quarter hovering around a 10 point lead before Reggie Bullock hit a corner 3 to pull within 8. That was quickly answered by a Adebayo slam and a finessed layup by Butler. Luka had back to back layups sandwiching a Tyler Herro floater which led Erik Spoelstra to take a timeout. With 2:56 left in the 3rd, Mavs trailed the Heat 93-81. Out of the timeout the Heat showed good ball movement and spacing leading to a Jimmy Butler drive and miss in the lane but Butler was fouled by Ntilikina. Butler and Sterling Brown traded free throws to keep the Heat lead at 14 but Jalen Brunson managed to hit a buzzer beating 3 to cut the gap to 11 going into the final quarter.
The Mavs managed a defensive stop followed by a 3 by Bullock to start the quarter to cut the lead to 8. Ntilikina managed a layup to match a Morris jumper then Brunson showed sparks of brilliance with a spinning layup and 1 but missed the layup. Lowry scored off of a loose ball to put Miami back up 8. Bullock was called for a foul on a Jimmy Butler layup but upon seeing the replay Jason Kidd used his coaches challenge. Somehow the ruling was upheld. Down 10 with 6:47 left Dwight Powell missed both of his free throws with the backdrop of a groaning home crowd. Bam hit two free throws on the opposite end of the court followed by a Kyle Lowry 3 to extend the Heat’s lead to 15 with 5:30 left. After back to back scoring drives by Lowry and Herro then Free throws by Adebayo the Mavs found themselves down by 18. That lead was cut down to 15 with a long Luka 3 but too little to late the Dallas Mavericks lost to the Miami Heat 125-110
That Mavericks will face the Spurs in San Antonio tomorrow night at 7:30p on Bally Sport Southwest.