The Dallas Mavericks secured a crucial 120-118 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, with head coach Jason Kidd emphasizing the need for smarter decision-making on offense.
Anthony Davis led the way for Dallas with 34 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks, including the game-winning floater with 3.4 seconds left. Klay Thompson contributed 17 points, while Spencer Dinwiddie added 14 points and 10 assists in Kyrie Irving’s absence.
Following the win, Kidd highlighted the importance of balancing pace and execution, particularly in transition. “As much as we want to play fast, we also can’t leave the big guys behind, so we gotta make sure that they touch the ball,” Kidd said postgame, via ClutchPoints. “I thought in the first half we were taking quick shots in transition instead of just taking the best shot.”
Dallas (38-39) climbed to ninth in the Western Conference standings, staying 1.5 games ahead of the 10th-place Kings. The Hawks (36-40) remain eighth in the East, trailing Orlando by half a game and leading Miami by one.
The Mavericks trailed by 11 in the third quarter before Davis ignited a comeback, scoring 12 points in the period as Dallas outscored Atlanta 34-24. The game saw multiple lead changes in the final minutes, with Trae Young tying it at 118 before Davis’ go-ahead shot. Young had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but his three-pointer missed.
Davis briefly left the game in the first quarter after taking an elbow from teammate Daniel Gafford but returned in the second with a bandage above his right eye. Despite the injury, he delivered his best performance since joining Dallas.
Kidd praised Thompson’s ability to fit into the Mavericks’ offensive schemes, noting his movement off screens and ability to take big shots. “Klay made a big three… He didn’t hesitate. I thought he had two big threes for us,” Kidd said.
Atlanta took 14 more shots than Dallas but struggled with efficiency, shooting 43.3% from the field compared to the Mavericks’ 53.0%. Jaden Hardy provided a bench spark with 13 points, while Dereck Lively II returned from an ankle injury, adding four points and five rebounds.
Young led the Hawks with 25 points and 12 assists, while Onyeka Okongwu posted a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Caris LeVert scored 14 points, and Dyson Daniels added 17. Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta’s young forward, finished with nine points.
With just a handful of games remaining, both teams continue to fight for playoff positioning. Dallas will look to build on this win as it pushes toward postseason contention.
