INDIANAPOLIS — Kristaps Porzingis looks as if he’s rounding into form.
The timing couldn’t be better for Dallas.
On Wednesday, the All-Star forward scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, both season highs, to help the Mavericks take control late in the third quarter before pulling away for a 124-112 victory at Indiana.
“Four of my first five baskets were just layups off great passes from my teammates,” the 25-year-old former Knick said. “Look, tonight was one of those nights where it just came easy. A lot of good looks, a lot of layups. Glad we got the win.”
It sure hadn’t been easy for Porzingis until Wednesday. He missed the Mavs’ first nine games after having surgery on his right knee. Then, after winning in his season debut last Wednesday, Dallas lost its next three — its longest skid in nearly two years.
But with Luka Doncic delivering another triple double — 13 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists — and Porzingis taking advantage inside, the Mavs turned things around.
“Tonight, it was all about the fight,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. “Our communication was there, we were able to stay disciplined and look, Porzingis was terrific.”
The short-handed Pacers have lost two straight by double digits, their two most lopsided losses of the season. Malcolm Brogdon had 26 points and Domantis Sabonis finished with 25 points and nine rebounds, ending his streak of consecutive double-doubles at 13.
But Porzingis was the biggest problem.
He scored all of the points in a crucial 9-2 third-quarter run that helped the Mavs maintain their momentum. Jalen Brunson’s basket to end the quarter gave Dallas a 93-92 lead.
The Mavs opened the fourth on an 11-3 run to rebuild a 104-95 lead, and they gradually extended the margin to seal it.
“We weren’t able to recover from that,” Brogdon said of the early fourth-quarter run. “We went down seven and they were able to build on that lead a little bit.”