Luka Doncic powers Mavericks to win over Pacers

INDIANAPOLIS: Luka Doncic finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists just hours after his most recent technical foul and one-game suspension were rescinded Monday (Tuesday in Manila) by the NBA and led the Dallas Mavericks past the Indiana Pacers 127-104.

The Mavericks snapped a four-game losing streak and remained in contention in the race for one of the final two play-in spots in the Western Conference. Kyrie Irving added 16 points and six assists for Dallas.

Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks attempts a shot while being guarded by Aaron Nesmith of the Indiana Pacers in the third quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 27, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. AFP PHOTO

Indiana was led by Bennedict Mathurin, who scored 22 points, and Andrew Nembhard, who had 17 points, five rebounds and five assists on a night the Pacers were missing three starters and a key backup. The Pacers have lost three straight and six of eight as they move closer to locking up a lottery pick.

Doncic had picked up his 16th technical that was rescinded on Sunday in the team's second loss to Charlotte. The technical came with 7:51 remaining in the third quarter of a 110-104 loss when Doncic argued a no-call after missing a shot on a drive to the basket. Crew chief Kevin Scott said in a pool report after the game that Doncic used “a profanity directed at the officials in protest to a no-call that was correctly judged in postgame video review.”

TIMBERWOLVES 119, KINGS 115

SACRAMENTO, California: Jaden McDaniels scored 20 points and Minnesota spoiled Sacramento's bid to clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2006, the longest playoff drought in NBA history.

The Timberwolves won their fourth straight and completed a sweep of a back-to-back set at Golden State and Sacramento to tie the Warriors for sixth place in the Western Conference playoff race.

Naz Reid scored 18 points, Anthony Edwards had 17 and Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 16 rebounds in the win.

De'Aaron Fox scored 29 points and Domantas Sabonis added 24 points and 10 rebounds for Sacramento, which shot 5 of 26 from 3-point distance.

The Kings will look to clinch a playoff berth when they travel to Portland for two games, starting Wednesday.

CLIPPERS 124, BULLS 112

LOS ANGELES: Nicolas Batum got all of his season-high 24 points on eight 3-pointers, and Eric Gordon added 22 points as Los Angeles beat Chicago.

Kawhi Leonard scored 22 points as the Clippers rebounded from an embarrassing loss to New Orleans with 20 3-pointers in an impressive outside shooting display led by Batum.

Russell Westbrook had 12 points, 10 assists and five rebounds as Los Angeles (40-36) kept hold of fifth place in the Western Conference standings and moved a half-game behind fourth-place Phoenix.

Zach LaVine scored 23 points and Nikola Vucevic had 20 points and eight rebounds for the Bulls, who followed up their impressive win over the Lakers on Sunday with a dud.