fbpx
Skip to main content

Tim Hardaway drops 42 points as Dallas Mavericks top Pistons

Apr 29, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Sekou Doumbouya (45) gets fouled by Dallas Mavericks center Willie Cauley-Stein (33) during the second quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 29, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Sekou Doumbouya (45) gets fouled by Dallas Mavericks center Willie Cauley-Stein (33) during the second quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Tim Hardaway Jr. poured in a career-high 42 points and the Dallas Mavericks edged away from the host Detroit Pistons 115-105 on Thursday.

Hardaway shot 13-for-23 from the field, including six 3-point makes, and knocked down all 10 of his free throws. Trey Burke scored 15 points off the bench and Jalen Brunson had 13 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Dallas star guard Luka Doncic sat out with a left elbow contusion, while the Pistons held out several regulars, including starters Jerami Grant and Mason Plumlee. Mavs big man Kristaps Porzingis left the game in the third quarter with right knee soreness after scoring 11 points.

Rookie Isaiah Stewart scored a career-high 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for Detroit. Frank Jackson had 20 points off the bench, Saddiq Bey scored 18, Sekou Doumbouya contributed 14, Josh Jackson had 13 and Hamidou Diallo added 10 along with 10 rebounds.

The Mavericks led 60-54 at halftime. Neither side led by more than seven points during the half.

Related: NBA playoff predictions – Bracket picks & 2024 Finals champion

Hardaway had 17 points to lead Dallas prior to the break, while Stewart topped Detroit with 12 points.

A 7-1 Dallas spurt early in the second half established its first double-digit lead at 69-59. Detroit soon scored seven unanswered points, including five by Bey, to cut its deficit to three points.

The Pistons tied it on two occasions late in the quarter. Hardaway drained a 3-pointer and Burke made a layup in the final minute to give Dallas an 86-81 lead. Frank Jackson made a layup in the final second to make it a three-point spread heading into the fourth quarter.

Jackson hit a 3 with 10 minutes to go, giving Detroit a 90-88 edge.

Hardaway continued to carry the Mavs offensively but two Stewart 3-pointers in a 39-second span gave the Pistons a 102-101 lead.

Hardaway’s baseline shot with 2:09 left moved Dallas into the lead at 106-104. His 3-pointer with 1:04 remaining made it 109-105. A Brunson layup after a Pistons turnover sealed the win.

Dallas won the first meeting on its home court 127-117 with Doncic supplying 30 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.

Related: NBA games today – Full offseason schedule, including start of NBA free agency

–Field Level Media

Mentioned in this article:

More About: