Dallas Mavs Achieve Epic Overtime Win Against Houston Rockets in Luka Doncic's Return

During Luka Doncic's return to the Mavs' lineup from an injury, Dallas failed to overcome a flat start, losing to the Rockets.

Apr 7, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives to the lane during / Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports

DALLAS — Luka Doncic returned from a one-game injury absence to help guide the Dallas Mavericks (48-30) to a dramatic 22-point comeback win over the Houston Rockets (38-40) in overtime, with a final score of 147-136. By overcoming a slow start to achieve a victory in this game, the Mavs improved to 14-2 over their previous 16 games.

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

Apr 7, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives to the lane during / Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports

Kyrie Irving and Doncic combined for 85 points, with five total players scoring in double figures for the Mavs. Irving scored 25 of his 48 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, setting a new single-game high for scoring since being traded to Dallas. Doncic totaled 37 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds.

"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."

In addition to the Mavs' superstar backcourt, Dallas received timely plays and strong performances from P.J. Washington and Dante Exum. A total of 14 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks were provided by Washington, who also made a pair of late-game 3-pointers. Exum added 14 points and nine rebounds, including a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Three dynamic scoring performances set the tone for the Rockets, led by Dillon Brooks scoring 29 points. Fred VanVleet contributed 24 points and 12 assists, providing a needed boost in the backcourt next to Jalen Green's 21 points and eight assists. Houston couldn't outmatch the late-game execution from the Mavs.

With a loss, the Rockets would be eliminated from play-in contention. They were aggressive on both ends early. Houston jumped out to a 24-5 lead, answering coach Ime Udoka's challenge to finish the season strong and play at the level they had during their recent 11-game winning streak. Houston failed to sustain this early momentum in later stages of the game.

A play that earned Amen Thompson a Flagrant 2 call resulted in his ejection midway through the period. He pushed Maxi Kleber using his forearm in Kleber's neck, causing a scuffle with Kleber's teammates coming to his defense.

While the Mavs heated up from behind the arc late in the period, the Rockets' execution from the perimeter did not slow down. Dallas continued to trail by double figures until facing a 42-27 deficit at the end of the first quarter.

Gafford went to the bench early in the second quarter after picking up his third personal foul. However, Doncic returned to action with 7:18 remaining before halftime. The Mavs trailed by as many as 22 points during the second quarter on numerous occasions, with the latest being after Brooks hit a 3-pointer midway through the period.

The Mavs began to make a serious rallying effort in response to the Rockets' early advantage. Green picked up two fouls in a series of two plays after comitting a charge while beign guarded by Doncic, then fouling Irving on a step-back 3-pointer. Suddenly, Green had four fouls with 3:10 remaining before halftime. Irving made all three free throws to cut the Rockets' lead to just 65-53.

The Mavs continued to chip away at the Rockets' lead, with Doncic bringing Dallas within seven points after a strong stretch of offensive play backed up by defensive stops. Doncic scored on a post-up, dished out a transition lob to Washington for a dunk, then drew a shooting foul on back-to-back plays — first using a step-through in the post after a fake turnaround, then on a transition drive.

Irving scored five unanswered points, featuring a floater on a drive and then a transition pull-up 3-pointer, bringing the Mavs within 71-66 at the break. It was the first of multiple personal runs he pulled off during this game to prevent the momentum from shifting too much in the Rockets' favor. Dallas used a locker room conversation to lock in and make a significant comeback.

"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. Just kind of know what it means to come out on the other side of the matchup tonight victorious feels good."”

After both sides traded baskets to start the second half, an and-one finish from Gafford punished a switch and made it a four-point game. Dallas continued to receive needed plays offensively, including a turnaround jumper by Doncic and a pull-up 3-pointer from Irving, which kept the team within striking distance after the defense failed to get a few stops.

Doncic continued to make an impact offensively, between shifting Brooks to the ground using a jab step before a jumper, a step-back 3-pointer, and an and-one on a drive, the Slovenian superstar continued to make energizing plays.

Houston created some separation before the third quarter ended, closing with a 10-2 run to solidify a 106-98 advantage. A turnover leading to a breakaway dunk early in the final period extended the Rockets' edge to double figures.

Irving's baseline, one-legged jumper, followed by a transition jumper with his foot on the line and capped off by a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer in the corner, brought the Mavs within one point early in the fourth quarter. After the Rockets scored a few times, Irving continued to respond. On one play, he used a shifty crossover into a spin move for a layup against Brooks to keep Dallas within one possession. He later attacked Green for a step-back jumper in mid-range.

“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.”

A turnaround jumper from Irving ultimately tied it up for the Mavs with under five minutes remaining in regulation. Brooks answered with a 3-pointer to give Houston the lead again and Dallas continued to play from behind as clutch time played out.

Green missed a 3-pointer after using a snatch-back move to create separation, resulting in Dallas gaining possession and calling a timeout down by one with over three minutes left to play. Houston blitzed Doncic, setting up a 4-on-3 for Dallas, which Irving capitalized to attack downhill and draw a foul on a pull-up jumper before making two free throws. The Mavs took their first lead of the night — up 121-120 — with 3:02 to play.

Brooks immediately fired back with a corner 3-pointer again but with Irving drawing a double on a post up, the ball found Washington in the corner before he missed the jumper. Houston had a chance to to go up by four after Smith took a catch-and-shoot jumper above the break, but missed.

Doncic drew a double in the post before passing out and getting it back for a go-ahead step-back 3-pointer. The Rockets did not relent, scoring using a floater from Smith followed by a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer from Bullock. While Irving made a layup on a backdoor cut between those Houston scoring plays, Kleber missed a wide-open 3-pointer with 38.1 seconds left on the clock.

An unsuccessful challenge on a play involving Exum committing an offensive foul resulted in VanVleet getting a pair of free throws to put the Rockets in front 129-126 with 22.7 seconds left to play. Dallas used its final timeout after losing one due to the failed challenge.

Irving received a clean look from deep after coming off a Flare screen, but the shot was offline. Houston hauled in the rebound to close the possession, then used a timeout with 13.6 seconds still to play. Smith was wrapped up intentionally before missing two free throws, giving the Mavs a chance to tie on the final possession.

The Mavs took full advantage of that opportunity, creating a clean look for Exum to hit a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer as the final buzzer sounded. Doncic accepted the defensive coverage and countered it with a difficult pass to exploit. It was Dallas's first overtime game of the season.

“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.”

The Mavs led by as many as four points early in overtime after Irving made a pair of free throws, and then Exum used an in-and-out dribble to attack VanVleet for a finish at the rim. Houston made a few timely scoring plays to reduce the Mavs' lead to one point, but Irving's scoop finish, followed by a defensive stop, put Dallas in a strong position.

A sequence involving the Mavs' starting wings essentially clinched the victory with under a minute left in overtime. Washington put the Mavs up by six points after making a corner 3-pointer. However, a stop by Jones at the rim against Green led to another corner jumper for Washington. After another stop, Doncic finished a layup to seal the 11-point win.

There was an immediate rush of joy and sense of celebration both when Exum forced overtime with the 3-point attempt and after the final buzzer sounded in overtime following the win. It was one of the iconic moments of the 2023-24 season for this Mavs team that is continuing to make the expected impact the team sought when trading for Irving to pair with Doncic last season.

“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."

Looking ahead, the Mavs will play a two-game East Coast road trip beginning with a stop in Charlotte on Tuesday, then ending on the second night of a back-to-back in Miami the following day.