Luka Doncic recorded his second consecutive triple-double and contributed seven points to a key run late in the third quarter as the Dallas Mavericks broke free from the host Cleveland Cavaliers for a 131-111 victory on Sunday night.
Doncic finished with 29 points, 14 rebounds and 15 assists for the Mavericks, who trailed 73-69 with 4:52 remaining in the third period before dominating the rest of the game.
Dallas took charge with a 17-3 burst that turned the four-point deficit into an 86-76 lead. Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Dorian Finney-Smith bombed in 3-pointers to pull away.
Seeking to avoid their first losing streak of the season, the Cavaliers clung within 90-86 entering the fourth quarter. But Hardaway hit a two-pointer and Kristaps Porzingis a 3-pointer to open the final period and immediately extend the margin to nine, after which Cleveland got no closer than seven.
Doncic shot 9-for-17 overall and 5-for-10 from long range en route to his 29 points. The Mavericks outshot the Cavaliers in the game 53.2 percent to 40.6.
Doncic's 14 rebounds were the third-most of his career, two shy of the 16 he accumulated against Phoenix last April. The 15 assists equaled a career-best, set Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers when he went for 31 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists.
His 29/14/15 game was just the 20th in NBA history. The only other two players to do it since 1987 are James Harden in 2016 and Nikola Jokic last February.
Porzingis chipped in with 18 points, Jalen Brunson 14, Seth Curry 13, Boban Marjanovic and Hardaway 12 apiece, and Finney-Smith 10 for the Mavericks, who have alternated wins and losses in their last five games.
Kevin Love had a team-high 29 points, while Tristan Thompson added an 11-point, 12-rebound double-double for Cleveland, which led by as many as eight in the first quarter.
Jordan Clarkson totaled 17 points, and Cedi Osman, Collin Sexton and Brandon Knight had 10 apiece for the Cavaliers.
