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Mar 29, 2025 11:16 pm

Mavericks inch past Bulls in quest for West play-in berth

Mavericks, Bulls

Klay Thompson had 20 points and hit two critical free throws with 6.7 seconds left as the visiting Dallas Mavericks took down the host Chicago Bulls 120-119 on Saturday night.

Dallas (37-38) has won four of its last five games and is ninth in the Western Conference, which would qualify for the play-in tournament. The Mavericks are also 4-0 when Anthony Davis plays. Davis was 7 of 23 from the floor Saturday and finished with 18 points in 30 minutes.

Chicago fans were hoping for another miracle finish after the Bulls’ dramatic win over the Lakers on Thursday.

The Bulls were down 12 with 2:52 left on Saturday and got to 118-116 when Nikola Vucevic split a pair of free throws with 8.6 seconds left, but the Mavericks inbounded the ball to Thompson, who was fouled and calmly made both free throws. Vucevic sank a 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds left for the final margin.

Seven Mavericks players scored in double figures, among them P.J. Washington with 19 points and Kai Jones 15.

Despite the loss, the Bulls (33-41) are still comfortably in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. Rookie Matas Buzelis led Chicago with 28 points. Coby White and Vucevic each had 25.

The first and second quarters played out in similar fashion. The Bulls went on a run to take a modest lead, only for the Mavericks to rally back and reclaim it.

Chicago led by three with just over five minutes left in the first quarter after a lay-in by Buzelis, and then the Mavericks caught fire. Washington made a driving layup to get the deficit down to one, and Dallas took the lead Jones’ alley-oop dunk from Brandon Williams.

Less than a minute later, Davis hit a fadeaway jumper, his only basket of the first half. Jaden Hardy then followed with a 3-pointer and in a little more than three minutes, Dallas went from down one to up seven.

In the second quarter, the Bulls built their biggest lead to that point at 48-36 after a 3-pointer by Buzelis. After the teams traded baskets, Thompson drilled three straight treys to draw the Mavericks within one. Then Naji Marshall put Dallas ahead on a spin move in the lane and added another bucket. The Mavericks took a 58-55 lead at halftime.

White has scored 20 points or more in 15 straight games.

–Field Level Media

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