Dallas Mavericks: Heat win 112-101 in Dwyane Wade’s final trip to Dallas

Dwyane Wade visited the American Airlines Center for the last time in his career, and the Miami Heat handed the Dallas Mavericks a 112-101 loss.

In a tale of two halves, the Dallas Mavericks fell to the Miami Heat 112-101. Dallas (26-31) has now lost its last three games against Miami (26-30).

The first half showcased the scrappy, never-say-die Mavs that fans have become accustomed to. Miami jumped out to a 15-7 lead before it became a back-and-forth battle that ended with Dallas taking a 58-57 lead into halftime. A 19-5 run by Miami to start the second half coupled with Dallas shooting 4-of-22 in the third period blew the game wide open. The Heat led by as much as 21 and never looked back.

Key Takeaway

This marks the last time Dwyane Wade, a long time Mavs nemesis, will enter the American Airlines Center as an opponent. The future Hall of Famer has decided to call it a career, following this season. The 16-year vet was welcomed by boos when he entered the game at the 5:11 mark of the first quarter. That turned into loud cheers, only because Dirk Nowitzki conveniently entered the game at the same time. Whether this is Nowitzki’s last season as well is still unknown.

The two longtime rivals traded baskets, while guarding each other late in the period, and the crowd broke out into a frenzy.

Standout Players

Luka Doncic was locked in from the onset, dropping dimes and scoring at will. He finished the first half with a team-high 14 points, seven assists and six rebounds. He even found time to test the ankles of Miami’s James Johnson on two occasions. Thanks to a lackluster shooting performance in the second half by Dallas, Luka finished one assist shy of a triple-double, totaling 18 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.

For the Heat, Wade was virtually unstoppable. The wily vet turned back the clock and went off for a game-high 22 points on 64 percent shooting.

Dallas won’t be back in action again until February 22, but there’s plenty to cheer for during All-Star weekend. Doncic will participate in the Skills Competition and Rising Stars Challenge (Team World), while Dirk competes in the Three-Point Contest, plays in the All-Star Game (Team Giannis) and coaches in the Rising Stars Challenge (Team World). As always, go Mavs!