The Dallas Mavericks have improved to 3-0 on the year after dispatching of the Memphis Grizzlies 125-110 on the road behind a Luka Dončić triple-double.
The 24-year-old finished with 35 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists on 11-of-22 shooting including 6-of-12 on threes.
Through Dallas’ first three games, Dončić is averaging an absurd 39.0 ppg, 11.7 rpg, and 9.7 apg on 69.7 TS%.
With Kyrie Irving sidelined due to a foot issue, several of Dallas’ supporting cast stood up in his absence led by Tim Hardaway Jr.’s 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting off the bench.
Derrick Jones Jr. added 22 points shooting 4-of-6 from behind the arc whilst Grant Williams finished with 15 points and was a team-high +18.
Dallas leapt out to an early first-quarter lead before Memphis stormed back to earn an eight-point advantage of their own early in the second.
An extended run, however, saw the Mavericks take six-point lead into the half which ballooned out to double-digits in the second half.
Dallas hit on 23 of their 47 threes – the equal-fifth highest mark in franchise history – and scored 16 points off a dozen Memphis turnovers.
Memphis were led by Jaren Jackson Jr.’s 30 points, nine rebounds, and four assists along with Desmond Bane’s 30 points and six rebounds.
Offseason acquisition Marcus Smart put up 23 points, five rebounds, nine assists and three steals but committed six turnovers.
The Grizzlies drop to 0-4 on the season – a league-worst mark – with the suspension of Ja Morant coupled with the absence of injured bigs Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke proving difficult to overcome.
They are back in action in Utah on Thursday whilst Dallas return home to face the Bulls the same day.
