Sabonis, Oladipo lead Pacers past Mavericks 112-109

DALLAS (AP) — Domantas Sabonis had 20 points and 17 rebounds, and Victor Oladipo scored the game’s final six points to help the Indiana Pacers beat the Dallas Mavericks 112-109 on Sunday night.

Despite leading for most of the game, the Pacers were down 109-104 with 3:14 to play — but held the Mavericks scoreless the rest of the way.

Oladipo pulled Indiana within one on a jumper with 2:33 to play. Kristaps Porzingis blocked Oladipo’s potential go-ahead layup with 1:08 to play, but Dallas turned it over on its next possession and Oladipo hit a pull-up 17-footer to give Indiana a 110-109 lead.

Courtney Lee missed a 3 for the Mavericks, and Oladipo hit a pair of free throws to finish with 16 points.

Luka Doncic missed two long 3s on Dallas’ final possession and the Pacers rebounded the ball as time expired.

Doncic scored 36 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. had 20 of his 30 in the second half. But Dallas suffered from a short roster – only 10 players dressed due to injuries and illness – and an off-night from Porzingis, who shot 3 for 17 and scored only nine points.

Porzingis had been averaging 30 points over his past five games. Doncic got him going in the third quarter, assisting on consecutive baskets by Porzingis, the second a cutting dunk that pulled Dallas within 67-64.

Doncic then tied it at 75 with a long 3 and a free throw when T.J. Warren bumped him on the way down.

Dallas took its first lead of the game at 94-93 with 9:33 to play when Justin Jackson hit a 3.

Doncic picked up two fouls in a little over four minutes at the start of the game and had to sit for about four minutes.

On the Mavericks’ first possession of the second quarter, Doncic shot-faked Indiana’s Edmond Sumner into the air, and Sumner inadvertently kneed Doncic on the side of his face on the way down. Both players got up and stayed in the game.

The Pacers led by as many as nine in the first half before a late 7-0 run by the Mavericks pulled Dallas within 55-52 at the break.

TIP-INS

Pacers: Indiana was without G Malcolm Brogdon (hip) and F Doug McDermott (toe).

Mavericks: Dallas got Hardaway back from an illness, but is still without F Dorian Finney-Smith (hip) and Gs Seth Curry (ankle) and Jalen Brunson (shoulder). And F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist also sat out due to illness.

UP NEXT

Pacers: Host the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.

Mavericks: Visit the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.