NBA news and highlights: Luka Doncic takes over for the Mavericks, Celtics beat Bulls by record margin and Dwyane Wade plays his 1000th career game

NBA.com India Staff

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NBA news and highlights: Luka Doncic takes over for the Mavericks, Celtics beat Bulls by record margin and Dwyane Wade plays his 1000th career game image

There were nine games around the Association with no shortage of the league's top teams and talent on display.

If you missed any of the action, don't sweat it, because we have you covered with all of the top storylines, best fantasy performers and can't miss highlights!

Top storylines

Doncic wills the Mavericks to victory

Another day, another jaw-dropping performance from Luka Doncic.

His Dallas Mavericks found themselves trailing the Houston Rockets 102-94 with 3:09 remaining, looking like they were going to allow their lead to slip away in a loss. Then Doncic turned it up a notch, taking over the game completely. He went on an 11-0 run himself to give the Mavericks a 105-102 lead with under a minute remaining.


James Harden, who finished with 35 points and eight assists on the night, was not going to let the Rockets let the game get away that easily. He slashed to the hoop for a layup to make it a one-point game before a Doncic and DeAndre Jordan pick-and-roll turned into a Jalen Brunson back-door layup.


The Mavericks came up with a stop, Wesley Matthews missed both free throws, then came up with another stop to seal the game. Doncic finished with 21 points and seven rebounds, Jordan had 12 points and 20 rebounds and Brunson, Matthews, Harrison Barnes and Dorian Finney-Smith joined them in double-digits.

Chris Paul added 23 points for the Rockets as they lose their third straight game and fall to 11-14 on the season. The Mavericks are now 13-11 and tied for the 8th spot in West.

Celtics hand Bulls worst loss in franchise history

This one was all Celtics the entire game, literally.

The Chicago Bulls never had a lead in this one, falling to the Celtics by 56 points 133-77, their largest loss in franchise history. Granted, it was the second night of a back-to-back for the Bulls after beating the Oklahoma City Thunder at the buzzer on Saturday, but this one was not pretty.

Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 23 points while Daniel Theis, in his first start of the season, finished with 22-point, 10-rebound double-double on his way to a plus-50 plus-minus for the game. Jayson Tatum (18 points), Terry Rozier (15), Kyrie Irving (13), Semi Ojeleye (13) and Marcus Morris (12) rounded out the seven players in double-figures for Boston on their way to the largest margin of victory in the Brad Stevens era. Every player that stepped on the floor scored and finished with a positive plus-minus.

They shot an insane 53.8 percent from the field and even crazier 51.2 percent from long range, knocking down 22 of their 43 3-point attempts. As for the Bulls, they were held to 38.3 percent from the field and 25.0 percent from deep, explaining the outcome on the scoreboard. Shaquille Harrison was their leading scorer with 20 points off the bench, but he also finished with a plus-minus of minus-43, the worst on the team.

The Celtics have gotten things rolling as of late, winning five games in a row sitting at 15-10. As for the Bulls, they fall to 6-21 on the season.

Dwyane Wade plays his 1000th career game

With tonight's game, Dwyane Wade has officially hit his 1000th career NBA regular season game.



Wade is set to retire at the end of the season, so his games in the NBA are numbered. This was the Miami Heat's 25th game of the season, leaving Wade with 57 games left in his career, not accounting for the playoffs.

Of the 1000 games, he's played 894 games with the Heat, 60 with the Bulls and 46 with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In tonight's game, the Heat defeated the LA Clippers 121-98. Wade finished with a game-high 25 points off the bench to go with six rebounds and six assists, proving that Father Prime has still got it.

Top fantasy performers

Bradley Beal - 27 points (12-25 FG), five assists, four rebounds, one steal

Jaylen Brown - 23 points (8-11, 3-3 3PT), five rebounds, three assists, two steals

John Collins - 30 points (12-20 FG, 3-6 3PT), 12 rebounds, five assists, one block

Spencer Dinwiddie - 25 points (10-17 FG), six assists, three rebounds, one steal

James Harden - 35 points (11-22 FG, 6-16 3PT), eight assists, four rebounds, one steal, one block

LeBron James - 20 points (9-18 FG), nine assists, eight rebounds, two steals

DeAndre Jordan - 12 points (6-9 FG), 20 rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block

Nikola Jokic - 24 points (9-17 FG), 11 rebounds, seven assists, two steals

Enes Kanter - 23 points (10-13 FG), 14 rebounds, three assists, one steal

Damian Lillard - 28 points (8-16 FG, 4-9 3PT), eight rebounds, six assists, one steal

Collin Sexton - 29 points (13-23 FG, 3 3PM), six assists, three rebounds, two steals

Tristan Thompson - 23 points (11-18 FG), 19 rebounds, five assists, two blocks

Dwyane Wade - 25 points (8-21 FG, 5 3PM), six rebounds, six assists, one steal, one block

Can't-miss highlights

James Ennis ready for take off.


Pass so good the camera had trouble keeping up.


Get off the tracks when the train is coming through!


Bogdanovic with the behind-the-back dime in traffic.


Kuz has been practicing his h.o.r.s.e shots.


Mitchell Robinson sees Kuz's h.o.r.s.e shot and raises the bar.


Larry Nance with a HUGE finish.


Jaylen Brown on the break!


Game 1000, still got it.


Blazers Twitter is not wrong, just a lot of good basketball plays in one highlight.


Wiggins with an A+ effort to make up for the turnover.


Box scores

Rockets at Mavericks | Kings at Pacers

Nuggets at Hawks | Wizards and Cavaliers | Nets at Knicks

Celtics at Bulls | Lakers at Grizzlies

Timberwolves at Trail Blazers | Heat at Clippers

NBA.com India Staff