DALLAS — Luka Doncic’s triple-double streak is over as attention turns to his left hamstring.
Daniel Gafford looks up to Wilt Chamberlain for the best consecutive field goal streak in NBA history.
Doncic scored 21 points as his triple-double streak ended in seven games, Gafford made five baskets to extend his streak to 33 in a row and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Golden State Warriors 109-99 on Wednesday night .
Doncic’s triple-double streak was all but over when the NBA’s scoring leader returned to the game in the fourth quarter. He was gone 22 seconds later, quickly ruled out due to left hamstring soreness.
Coach Jason Kidd said he wasn’t sure Doncic would make the trip to Oklahoma City, where the Mavs complete a back-to-back Thursday night.
“We’ll have a better answer (Thursday),” Kidd said. “It’s a fluid thing. We’re talking about it now.
The Warriors were without Stephen Curry for a third straight game, and it showed with shooting below 40 percent for most of the game in a fifth loss in six games this season without their star guard.
Golden State is 1-2 since Curry was sidelined with a sprained right ankle. Steve Kerr said before the game that Curry is expected to join the team in Los Angeles, and the coach hopes Curry will play Saturday against the Lakers.
The Warriors were also without Draymond Green, who was scratched before the game with back soreness. Jonathan Kuminga led Golden State with 27 points.
“What Draymond does, he impacts the game one way or another,” Kerr said. ” It does not matter. People are hurt and you have to respond.
All of Gafford’s baskets came on dunks, and he’s two short of Chamberlain’s NBA recordwhich took place in 1967. The 6-foot-10 center acquired before the trade deadline had a season-high seven blocks.
“I try to tell myself not to worry about it,” Gafford said. “If I do it, that’s good. I will celebrate it, of course. I just want to go out and win games. I’ll worry about the record afterwards, that’s for sure.
Doncic had nine assists and three rebounds. His triple-double included NBA records of five in a row with at least 35 points and six in a row with at least 30 points.
While the Warriors didn’t shoot well from anywhere, the Mavericks withstood one of their worst nights of the season from 3-point range, starting 1 of 17 before finishing 6 of 27 (22%).
Doncic threw his arms in the air after his only deep connection in the third quarter. He was 1 of 6 from beyond the arc, while Kyrie Irving was 1 of 5 finishing with 23 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.
The Mavericks took control with an 11-0 run for an 87-72 lead as Doncic sat out early in the fourth quarter. His return didn’t last long, but the Mavericks continued to drift away without the five-time All-Star.
Andrew Wiggins scored 17 points for Golden State, which lost for just the second time in 11 road games in a clash of teams that began the night in position for the play-in tournament.
“I like the team a lot better now than a few months ago, where we were really sorting things out,” Kerr said. “We have an identity. I think we’ll bounce back here, and I’m excited for the latter part of the season.
FOLLOWING
Warriors: At the Lakers on Saturday.
Mavericks: At Oklahoma City on Thursday.
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