Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) looks to shoot against Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Luka Doncic had 21 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds and Kyrie Irving added 25 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 137-101 victory over Washington on Thursday night, the Wizards’ 16th straight loss.
Washington tied a franchise record for consecutive defeats and fell to 2-18. It’s the second straight season the Wizards have had a 16-game skid.
Dallas made 11 of its first 16 shots from 3-point range and finished 20 of 38 from beyond the arc for its sixth win in a row.
Malcolm Brogdon scored 16 for the Wizards, who were without Kyle Kuzma (left rib sprain) and Corey Kispert (left ankle sprain).
It was the 78th triple-double for Doncic, moving him into a tie for seventh on the career list with Wilt Chamberlain and James Harden. Next on the list is Dallas coach Jason Kidd at 107.
Takeaways
Mavericks: This wasn’t much of a test, but the Mavericks put plenty of distance between themselves and the Wizards before halftime and had little to worry about against an overmatched opponent.
Wizards: Washington hasn’t won since the night before Halloween, and this streak could go on a while. The Wizards’ next four opponents — Denver, Memphis, Cleveland and Boston — are all above .500.
Key moment
It was only a six-point game near the end of the first quarter, but the Mavericks went on an 11-2 run that included a 3-pointer by Spencer Dinwiddie and two by Klay Thompson.
Key stat
The Wizards become the sixth team to have a 16-game losing streak in back-to-back seasons, according to Sportradar. The others were the Mavericks (1992-93 and 1993-94), Los Angeles Clippers (1998-99 and 1999-2000), Charlotte Bobcats (2011-12 and 2012-13), Philadelphia 76ers (2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16) and San Antonio Spurs (2022-23 and 2023-24).
Up next
Both teams play Saturday night — the Mavericks at Toronto and the Wizards at home against the Nuggets.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
By NOAH TRISTER
AP Sports Writer
