Anthony Davis delivered his best performance since joining Dallas, scoring 34 points and hitting the game-winning shot with 3.4 seconds left as the Mavericks edged the Atlanta Hawks 120-118 on Wednesday.
Davis also recorded 15 rebounds and five blocks despite briefly exiting due to an eye injury in the second quarter. Dallas (38-39) overcame an 11-point third-quarter deficit to secure a crucial win in the Western Conference playoff race.
Klay Thompson added 17 points for the Mavericks, who hold the ninth seed and are 1.5 games ahead of the 10th-place Kings. Spencer Dinwiddie stepped up as the primary playmaker in Kyrie Irving’s absence, finishing with 14 points and 10 assists.
Trae Young led Atlanta with 25 points and 12 assists, while Onyeka Okongwu posted a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds. The Hawks (36-40) remain in eighth place in the East, trailing Orlando by half a game and leading Miami by one.
Dallas trailed 72-61 early in the third before Davis fueled a comeback, scoring 12 points in the period as the Mavericks outscored the Hawks 34-24. The game remained tight in the final minutes, with multiple lead changes setting up a dramatic finish.
Young tied the score at 118 with a driving floater, but Dallas responded as Davis navigated past Okongwu for a contested floater to regain the lead. Young had one last chance, but his deep three-pointer at the buzzer fell short.
Davis’ night was briefly interrupted in the first quarter when he was elbowed by teammate Daniel Gafford while fighting for a loose ball. He exited with bleeding near his right eye but returned late in the second quarter with a bandage.
The Hawks had 14 more shot attempts but struggled with efficiency, shooting 43.3% (42-of-97) compared to Dallas’ 53.0% (44-of-83). Atlanta also made 15 three-pointers but was unable to capitalize on second-chance opportunities.
Jaden Hardy provided a spark off the Mavericks’ bench with 13 points, including three triples. Dereck Lively II returned from an ankle injury, contributing four points and five rebounds in 16 minutes.
Caris LeVert scored 14 points for the Hawks, while Dyson Daniels added 17. Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta’s promising young forward, had nine points in 24 minutes.
