Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic Guide Dallas Mavs to 22-Point Comeback Win Over Houston Rockets

Mavs superstar Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic combined for 85 points to help guide the team to a 22-point comeback victory over the Rockets.

Apr 7, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) blocks out Houston Rockets / Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports

DALLAS — Led by the dynamic performances of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, the Dallas Mavericks staged a stunning 22-point comeback to snatch a 147-136 overtime victory from the Houston Rockets. This dramatic win, securing their 14th victory in the last 16 outings, continued the Mavs' recent surge as the playoffs near.

"The chemistry is big," Doncic said. "We are on a roll right now."

Apr 7, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) blocks out Houston Rockets / Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports

Irving and Doncic continued to form a formidable duo as usual, amassing a combined total of 85 points. Irving poured in 25 of his 48 points during the critical moments of the fourth quarter and overtime, marking a personal scoring milestone since his arrival in Dallas. He became the sixth player in team history to score 48 or more points in a game.

“When Kai gets in the paint, his mid-range, three, getting to the basket, he can do it all," Mavs guard Dante Exum said of Irving. "When it’s times like that where they’re letting him cook, we just let him cook and watch.”

Doncic nearly achieved a triple-double, tallying 37 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds. The duo achieved their fourth game, scoring at least 35 points each in the same game, passing Mark Aguirre and Rolando Blackman for the most by any Mavs duo.

"We work so hard, and we take on so much of the pressure ourselves," Irving said. "We want to be successful, and I think it spills over to our teammates."

Key contributions also came from P.J. Washington and Exum, who delivered in crucial moments. Washington provided 14 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks, including vital late-game three-pointers. Exum's game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer pushed the game into overtime, rounding off his contribution with 14 points and nine rebounds.

“This is why they were brought in. This is why we’ve believed in them since the beginning of the season," Irving said of Exum and Washington. "I know I do and Luka does a great job of feeding these guys confidence. Whether they make shots or not, we're still going to believe in them. It’s not going to change.”

The Rockets' offensive effort was led by three standout performances: Dillon Brooks with 29 points, Fred VanVleet adding 24 points and 12 assists, and Jalen Green contributing 21 points along with eight assists. Despite their efforts, they couldn't match the Mavs' late-game prowess.

“Everybody’s tired this part of the year. Also, give credit to Houston: they’re fighting for their life," Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. "We understood that coming in; they’re going to give us their best shot – and they did. We took it and found a way to win. Everybody can be tired, but as we get closer to mid-April, all that goes away because it’s the next season."

Facing the threat of elimination from play-in tournament contention, the Rockets started the game with intensity on both ends of the court. They quickly took a 24-5 lead, responding to coach Ime Udoka's call to end the season on a high note and replicate the form seen during their 11-game win streak. However, Houston struggled to maintain this initial dominance as the game progressed.

"It wasn’t the way we walked about it or drew it up to start. But a lot of times it’s not how you start; it’s how you finish. I thought the guys, again, the talk in the locker room and on the bench was just to continue to keep working the game," Kidd said. "We knew we couldn’t just shoot one 20-point shot, we just had to work the game. I thought our defense got us back in the game and then we started to make shots."

The game was tense, highlighted by a scuffle resulting from a Flagrant 2 foul on Amen Thompson for an altercation with Maxi Kleber. The Rockets had high stakes, considering the loss eliminated them from play-in contention. As for Dallas, the victory was a testament to the team's fighting spirit and their tight-knit camaraderie, as Irving passionately described.

"It was one of those in the moment type things, to be honest with you, as a competitor you’re so emotional about this game, it’s not really a game to us," Irving said. "When you’re out there and putting blood, sweat, and tears into it, being physical. Of course, we feel fans, and the atmosphere, but when you’re a competitor out there and you’re a teammate, and you’re seeing your teammates go to battle, that just does something to you. We were dog-tired after that buzzer went off. Embrace is important after games like that."

As the Mavs started to find their rhythm from the 3-point line towards the end of the first quarter, the Rockets maintained their strong performance from the perimeter, leaving Dallas trailing by a significant margin, down 42-27 as the quarter concluded. Houston continued to emphasize switching to make the Mavs work by breaking down defenders frequently. The team scored a season-high 41 points from isolation, breaking the previous single-game best of 34 points in the team's recent 125-107 win over the Rockets on March 31.

In the second quarter, Gafford was benched early due to his third foul, while Doncic re-entered the game with a bit over seven minutes until the break. The Mavs found themselves down by up to 22 points at several points during the quarter, the gap widening further after Brooks landed a 3-pointer halfway through.

The Mavs initiated a robust comeback effort, cutting down the Rockets' early lead. Green was charged with two fouls in quick succession, first for charging against Doncic and then for fouling Irving on a 3-point attempt. Suddenly, Green accumulated four fouls with just over three minutes left in the game. Irving's successful free throws reduced the Rockets' lead to 65-53.

With improved defensive execution aided by turning to a more switching approach, Dallas gradually narrowed the Rockets' lead. Doncic pulled the team within seven points through a series of offensive and defensive plays. He scored using a post-up, assisted Washington with a dunk using a lob pass from half-court, and managed to get to the free-throw line by drawing contact.

Irving scored five straight points, including a drive and a pull-up 3-pointer, bringing the Mavs within five points at halftime. This marked one of several solo efforts by Irving throughout the game to keep the momentum from shifting too far toward the Rockets. The Mavs regrouped during the break, focusing on their comeback strategy.

"We were in that locker room at halftime looking at each other like, ‘What are we going to do to get back in this game?’ When they got off to that 22-point lead, we were looking at each other, so no one else is in that huddle but us and the coaching staff, and of course management," Irving said. "It just means something when you can come out with a win like that.

"It is just a regular season game, but we know the position that we’re in. I keep saying that," Irving explained. "Just kind of know what it means to come out on the other side of the matchup tonight victorious feels good."

The second half saw both teams often having answers for each other's scoring plays. Still, despite defensive lapses, Gafford's and-one finish and consecutive scores by Doncic and Irving kept Dallas in contention. During this stretch, the Mavs received dynamic players from both superstars, including a turnaround jumper from Doncic and a pull-up 3-pointer from Irving.

Houston managed to pull ahead towards the end of the third quarter, but Irving's scoring spree in the fourth, including a series of jumpers and a 3-pointer, brought Dallas within a single point. He exploited the Rockets' reluctance to blitz him when Docnic was on the floor, forcing their hand to start doubling him late. Irving's effective play and continued shot-creation prowess guided the Mavs.

“I mean, it’s an exciting feeling because almost all the defensive adjustments are predictable," Irving said. "You just drive right, or drive left, and they’re sending help either from the baseline or the other side of the paint and want to stop you, so it gives my teammates — and also when Luka gets doubled, it gives myself opportunities to attack with numbers on our side. I really welcome that, and you know, when the ball is in my hands and I don’t see anyone coming to double, then that’s my time to be aggressive.

"My teammates kept putting the ball in my hands, and I had the matchup tonight, so I just kept taking advantage of it," Irving explained. "I had some easy ones go for me tonight and just continue to feed off of the good energy. It was a total team effort tonight, really. We left it all out on the floor tonight. You could feel that.”

Irving continued to dominate, keeping Dallas competitive with his scoring and playmaking. His turnaround jumper along the baseline tied the game, but Brooks's 3-pointer and subsequent plays had the Mavs chasing the score in the final moments. Houston frequently blitzed Doncic to get the ball out of his hands, resulting in his teammates often playing out of 4-on-3 situations, creating chances for Irving's critical pull-up attempt that generated a foul call and a perfect trip to the free throw line — giving the Mavs a 121-120 edge with 3:02 left to play.

"I was just standing, and he was just going," Doncic said of Irving's late-game heroics.

A crucial timeout by Dallas set up a pivotal moment, with Irving drawing a foul and taking the lead for the Mavs by making both free throws. However, the Rockets responded, maintaining a narrow lead until Doncic's critical 3-pointer shifted the momentum.

Both teams had chances to secure the win in the final seconds, but Dallas capitalized on a last-second opportunity to tie the game and send it to overtime, thanks to Exum's 3-pointer. Smith missed two free throws with the Rockets leading by three points and having 13.6 seconds left to play. The Mavs previously missed multiple clean shots from the perimeter — including Irving on a Flare screen and Kleber in spot up — before having the final possession of regulation.

On the overtime forcing play, Doncic had received a pass and considered pulling up far off the perimeter but drew two defenders and dialed up a well-timed pass to Exum on the wing. The Mavs clinched their first overtime game of the 2023-24 season.

"I mean, I was going to shoot it, but then I saw two people on me, and saw Dante open," Doncic said. "Of course, I’m going to pass it, that’s the trust we have.”

Exum appreciates the trust his teammates have in him to continue to take big shots. Before this season, he hadn't recorded a game-tying or go-ahead shot in the final moments of a fourth quarter or overtime period, but achieved two in the span of nine days, with the first being a pivotal 3-pointer in a win over the Sacramento Kings on March 29.

“It’s happened a lot throughout the season, just missing one shot, and they come to you like, ‘Yeah, shoot the next one, shoot the next one,’" Exum said. “I think in just those big moments when you need to knock it down, it just reminds you of the times they’ve had your back.”

Overtime saw the Mavs taking the lead and securing an 11-point victory through strategic plays and strong performances, beginning with a scoop finish by Irving followed by a defensive stop. Washington stepped up to make multiple corner 3-pointers. Derrick Jones Jr. pressured Green's finish on the trail to force a miss between those shots. Doncic got to the rim for a final layup to further solidify the victory.

“It was one of those in the moment type things, to be honest with you, as a competitor you’re so emotional about this game, it’s not really a game to us," Irving said. "When you’re out there and putting blood, sweat, and tears into it, being physical.

"Of course, we feel fans and the atmosphere, but when you’re a competitor out there, and you’re a teammate, and you’re seeing your teammates go to battle, that just does something to you," Irving explained. "We were dog-tired after that buzzer went off. Embrace is important after games like that.".

The Mavs are set to embark on an East Coast road trip, with games against Charlotte and Miami, aiming to build on their momentum and continue their strong season performance.

"We have to close out this season on a positive," Kidd said. "We’ve got a road trip to go play Charlotte and Miami. We can continue to work on our habits and get better.”