Kyle Kuzma made one of two free throws with five seconds left and finished with 30 points as the visiting Washington Wizards edged the Dallas Mavericks 127-126 on Tuesday.
Bradley Beal scored 22 points, Deni Avdija added 15 points and 10 rebounds and Corey Kispert had 14 points for Washington, which sealed the victory on a Delon Wright steal of Luka Doncic’s pass with 1.2 seconds left.
Doncic led the Mavericks with 41 points and 15 rebounds, while Dwight Powell scored a season-high 22 points. Spencer Dinwiddie contributed 20 points, Josh Green scored 16 and Dorian Finney-Smith added 12.
Neither team led by more than eight points in a game that featured 18 ties and 10 lead changes. Monte Morris scored 13 points for the Wizards, and Wright tallied 10 points and six assists.
Dallas took its first lead since early in the second half at 120-119 after Doncic converted a three-point play with 2:47 remaining.
After Beal scored with 1:57 left, Dinwiddie and Beal exchanged 3-pointers before Avdija made two foul shots to put Washington ahead 126-123.
Doncic hit the 40-point mark for the 10th time this season after scoring with 36.4 seconds left to pull Dallas within a point.
Doncic’s free throw tied the game at 126 with 12.5 seconds left, but he missed the second attempt and fouled Kuzma with five seconds left. After an official review, Kuzma headed to the foul line for the decisive free throw.
Washington held a four-point advantage at the end of the first quarter after shooting 57.1 percent. Doncic played all 12 minutes in the period and scored 15 points.
The Wizards took a 65-60 lead into the break after closing the first half on a 12-1 run. Doncic had 22 points through the first two quarters to lead all scorers.
Doncic, who drew his 11th technical foul of the season early in the third quarter, converted a three-point play late in the period to tie the game at 89.
The Wizards played without forward Kristaps Porzingis, who is listed as week-to-week with a left ankle sprain.
–Field Level Media
