NBA Christmas Clash - Curry struggles with cold shooting for 23 points, Davis exits early with just 3 points, Warriors have seven players in double figures to defeat the Mavericks

On December 26th Beijing time, during the NBA Christmas Clash, the Warriors hosted the Mavericks. Except for Horford, whose three-point shooting was cold, the Warriors struggled from beyond the arc, and Davis left the game injured in the second quarter. After a hard-fought four quarters, the Warriors ultimately beat the Mavericks 126-116 to claim the spotlight Christmas victory.

Statistics:

Mavericks: Davis 3 points, Flagg 27 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, Marshall 14 points, Christie 13 points, 6 rebounds, Williams 26 points, Washington 14 points, 10 rebounds

Warriors: Curry 23 points, Butler 14 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists, Moody 12 points, Podziemski 13 points, 8 rebounds, Melton 16 points, Davis 10 points, Horford 14 points

Game Progress:

At the start of the first quarter, the Warriors scored 4 straight points for a strong opening, but the Mavericks quickly responded with a 6-0 run to take the lead. The Warriors then rallied with an 8-3 run to retake the lead. The two teams traded points in a back-and-forth battle, with the Warriors maintaining a slim lead of about 3 points. Toward the end of the quarter, the Warriors surged again, hitting a barrage of three-pointers and unleashing a 13-2 scoring run to quickly widen the gap. The quarter ended with the Warriors leading 40-28, a 12-point advantage over the Mavericks.

In the second quarter, the Mavericks started with an 8-0 run to quickly close the gap, but Draymond Green hit a three-pointer to stop the bleeding. The teams then went back and forth in a tight contest. Midway through the quarter, the Warriors went on a 9-2 run to push their lead back into double digits, with Williams scoring on a layup to halt the Mavericks’ momentum. The Warriors gradually extended their lead to 15 points. Despite the Mavericks’ efforts to catch up, Curry nailed a tough layup on the final possession of the quarter. At halftime, the Warriors led the Mavericks 71-58 by 13 points.

The third quarter began with a blow to the Mavericks as Davis, who had left earlier due to injury, was confirmed not to return. Both teams started hot with high shooting percentages but then hit scoring droughts. Midway through the period, the Mavericks went on a scoring run to cut the deficit to 10 points, but Curry drew a foul and made free throws to stop the momentum. The Mavericks kept pushing, narrowing the gap to just 7 points at one point. However, Melton scored a tough basket late in the quarter to push the lead back to double digits. After three quarters, the Warriors led 100-89, maintaining an 11-point advantage over the Mavericks.

In the final quarter, Flagg opened with a powerful dunk, and Richard scored on a layup. The Mavericks then went on an 8-2 run to reduce the deficit to only 5 points. Podziemski made a key foul and converted both free throws to stop the Mavericks’ momentum, leading to another tight battle. In the latter half of the quarter, Curry finally hit his second three-pointer of the game, stretching the lead back to double digits. In the last three minutes, the Mavericks fought hard to close the gap, but the Warriors consistently responded. The game ended with the Warriors defeating the Mavericks 126-116.

Starting Lineups:

Mavericks: Washington, Flagg, Davis, Marshall, Nembhard

Warriors: Butler, Green, Poole, Moody, Curry