DALLAS (AP) — Tim Hardaway Jr. had to watch when his Dallas Mavericks lost to the Golden State Warriors in last season’s Western Conference finals.
He found himself in the middle of some playoff intensity in their first meeting this season.
Hardaway hit a go-ahead 3-pointer late, Luka Doncic scored 41 points in his NBA-leading fifth triple-double and the Mavericks held off the Warriors 116-113 on Tuesday night.
Dallas ended a four-game losing streak, the longest in two seasons under coach Jason Kidd. Golden State, a winner in five games last spring on the way to the title, lost for just the second time in seven games after a slow start to its season.
“For me, it was,” Hardaway, who missed the 2022 postseason recovering from a broken foot, said of whether he felt the playoff vibe.
Stephen Curry scored 32 points for Golden State, including a quick-draw 3-pointer over Maxi Kleber for a 110-108 lead, but Dallas responded by scoring the next five points to go ahead for good.
Hardaway, who scored 22 points, answered Curry’s 3 on Doncic’s 12th and final assist with 1:49 remaining. Josh Green’s short jumper came after Doncic blocked Curry’s layup try.
The Warriors were down two when Curry was called for traveling — the 10th of the game between both teams — with 10 seconds remaining.
“Bang, bang situation,” Curry said. “Dumb play by me to not take the layup. I got a little confused on what the time and score was. Going for the hero shot. I didn’t think it was a travel to the point where let the play run out. But who am I to say?”
Golden State had one more chance after Dorian Finney-Smith missed one of two free throws to keep the deficit at three. Klay Thompson got a good look off for 3, but the shot was short as Curry’s Splash Brother finished 1 of 6 from deep with five points.
Doncic also had 12 rebounds in his 51st career triple-double.