DALLAS – Luka Doncic had 27 points and 13 assists, Kyrie Irving scored 17 points and Daniel Gafford also scored 17 in a season-high 24 minutes as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Chicago Bulls 119-99 on Wednesday night.

The defending Western Conference champions scored the first 13 points of the second half and led by as many as 30 as they improved to 2-2 in a five-game homestand.

Nikola Vucevic had 14 points and 10 rebounds while sitting out the fourth quarter and leading the Bulls, who have lost three straight games. Rookie Matas Buzelis, who totaled five points this season, had 13 points and nine rebounds.

Dallas played without starting forward PJ Washington because of a right knee sprain and without Dereck Lively II, who averages the most center minutes as Gafford’s backup, because of a right shoulder sprain.

The Bulls played their second straight game without leading scorer Zach LaVine, who has a right adductor strain.

Takeaways

Bulls: On a night when Dallas was missing two of its regular big men, the Bulls were on pace for their most three-point shots this season at halftime with 27, but shot 18.5%. They finished 12 out of 42 for 28.6%.

Mavericks: They held their own, outscoring the Bulls 60-48 in the paint and even leading second-chance points at 12-12.

Key moment

Doncic, Klay Thompson and Irving hit consecutive 3-pointers during a 17-0 run in the first period that gave Dallas a 22-9 lead.

Key stat

Dallas led in points off turnovers 28-13.

Next

The Bulls play a back-to-back game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at home on Thursday. The Mavericks host the Phoenix Suns on Friday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba