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The Dallas Mavericks picked up one in all their greatest wins of the season on Friday night time in gorgeous style, as Maxi Kleber hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to carry them over the Los Angeles Lakers, 111-110.
After Anthony Davis missed one in all two free throws with 6.7 seconds remaining, the Mavericks had the ball with an opportunity to tie or win the sport. But for many of these 6.7 seconds, it seemed like they may not even get a shot off, as Kyrie Irving dribbled round and round with a number of defenders proper on prime of him. Eventually, he noticed Kleber open on the wing and fired a go his method. With no time to waste, the German huge man caught and fired in a single movement, and hit nothing however web as time expired.
The bench erupted and rushed the ground — March Madness-style — burying their hero in a pile of our bodies.
While the game-winner was clearly the largest shot of the night time, it was not the one key play Kleber made down the stretch. With 7.2 seconds left and the Mavericks trailing by 4, he drew a foul on Anthony Davis whereas capturing a 3-pointer, calmly stepped to the road and sank all three free throws. All of Kleber’s 10 factors within the recreation got here within the fourth quarter, and 6 of them got here within the remaining 7.2 seconds. Who wants Luka Doncic anyway?
This was the second consecutive dramatic victory for the Mavericks, who knocked off the San Antonio Spurs in time beyond regulation on Wednesday and have now gained back-to-back video games for the primary time since earlier than the All-Star break.
For all the thrill after the Kyrie Irving commerce, the previous month has been an actual grind for the Mavs. Injuries and poor defensive performances have put them proper in the midst of the wild playoff race within the Western Conference. With their win over the Lakers, they’re now 36-35, which — for the second — has them in sixth place. However, they’re solely up on the Golden State Warriors by way of a tiebreaker, and have only a two-game lead over the Eleventh-place Utah Jazz.
The Mavs are going to want each win they’ll get down the stretch, and Kleber’s shot might wind up being the distinction between a assured playoff spot and being within the play-in event.
