Luka Doncic says the Dallas Mavericks just have to "keep rolling" after scoring an impressive win over the Utah Jazz on Monday.

The Jazz, who hold the best record in the NBA this season, saw a nine-game winning streak halted as the Mavericks ran out 111-103 victors behind 31 points, nine rebounds and eight assists from Doncic.

Dorian Finney-Smith had 23 points to go alongside six rebounds and four assists, while Jalen Brunson (20 points), Josh Richardson (17 points) and Tim Hardaway Jr (16 points) all contributed in the absence of Kristaps Porzingis, who was missing with a wrist sprain.

The Mavericks, seventh in the Western Conference, are now on a five-game winning run and are 7-3 over the past 10, with Doncic admitted their latest result helps build confidence as the season moves into a critical stage.

"I mean win every win is a confidence win, every NBA team can beat you," he said.

"Every win is a confidence win here, obviously this one they're first in the West or second, so obviously it's a big win. We just have to keep rolling, I guess."

The Mavericks impressed in the long-range game, going 23 for 49 from three-point range. Prior to the game, Utah led the NBA in three-point attempts (17.1) and second for success rate (39.8 per cent), but they were 12 from 44 (27.3 per cent).

"To hold these guys to 103 is a hell of a job," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said.

"The difference was we just came out and we were much more physical than we were last time we played them. That was a long time ago; that was light years ago."

Baylor Bears coach Scott Drew dedicated his side's maiden NCAA Men's Championship title to their loyal fans and administration two decades after the scandal which led to his appointment.

The Bears defeated the previously unbeaten Gonzaga Bulldogs 86-70, with guard Jared Butler named MVP following 22 points, three rebounds and seven assists.

Baylor's first national title comes 18 years after the scandal which rocked the NCAA and led to Drew's appointment as coach to rebuild the team in 2003.

"I prayed about it," Drew said post-game. "God has blessed us with unbelievable players.

"Our fans who have been with us throughout the lean years [deserve this]. Our administration and the city of Waco deserves this. The state of Texas deserves it."

Baylor got a fast start, scoring the first nine points of the game and were never headed, leading by as many as 20 points in the last.

"All year long this is what they do," Drew said. "We have a starting rotation. Each night might be someone different but they've sacrificed all along.

"If you're going to be in a bubble for three to four weeks, you want do it with people you love. They're unbelievable basketball players, better people."

Gonzaga coach Mark Few admitted the Bears were simply too good.

"They just beat us in every facet of the game tonight," Few said. "Hats off to Baylor."

Kyrie Irving stepped up with 40 points after James Harden went off injured early in the Brooklyn Nets' 114-112 victory over the New York Knicks on Monday.

In his first game back following hamstring tightness, Harden left the court after four minutes with an issue with the same hamstring and did not return.

The Nets were already without Kevin Durant, Tyler Johnson, Landry Shamet and Blake Griffin but their star point guard lifted when his side needed him, improving Brooklyn's record to 35-16 and moving them top in the East.

Irving finished with 40 points, including five three-pointers and seven assists, while Jeff Green contributed 23 points.

The Utah Jazz's nine-game winning run was halted by Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks in a 111-103 win.

Doncic went close to a triple-double, finishing with 31 points along with nine rebounds and eight assists for the Mavs.

Booker on fire, Westbrook dominates in defeat

Devin Booker dominated again with 36 points for the Phoenix Suns, who won 133-130 over the Houston Rockets to move to 35-14.

Booker has had a hot hand lately and delivered when it mattered, with 18 final-quarter points getting the Suns past the Rockets.

Chris Paul had 11 assists for Phoenix, becoming the fifth player in NBA history to reach 10 or more assists 500 times.

Russell Westbrook had another triple-double with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists but the Washington Wizards lost 103-101 to the Toronto Raptors after Gary Trent Jr's buzzer-beater.

Darius Garland scored a career-high 37 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers won 125-101 over the San Antonio Spurs.

Harden hurt again

Brooklyn's MVP candidate Harden did not last long in his return game after hamstring tightness, failing to score before being benched and tested in the locker room for a re-injury. Nets coach Steve Nash said: "Very similar to last time. He's got an awareness that something isn't right in his hammy."

Trent's buzzer-beater

Trent hit a clutch three-point buzzer-beater to earn the Toronto Raptors a dramatic victory over the Washington Wizards, completing a 19-point comeback.

Monday's results

Minnesota Timberwolves 116-106 Sacramento Kings 
Detroit Pistons 132-108 Oklahoma City Thunder
Cleveland Cavaliers 125-101 San Antonio Spurs
Toronto Raptors 103-101 Washington Wizards
Dallas Mavericks 111-103 Utah Jazz
Brooklyn Nets 114-112 New York Knicks
Phoenix Suns 133-130 Houston Rockets

76ers at Celtics

There are a bunch of big match-ups on Tuesday but the biggest is in the East when the Boston Celtics (25-25) host the Philadelphia 76ers (34-16), who have Joel Embiid back from injury.

Brooklyn Nets coach Steve Nash concedes James Harden's hamstring issue which forced him out of Monday's 114-112 win over the New York Knicks may linger.

Harden only played four minutes for the Nets before being benched in his first game back after missing the previous two with right hamstring tightness.

The latest issue was to the same hamstring, with Nash clarifying that they could not yet identify the problem.

"Very similar to last time. He's got an awareness that something isn't right in his hammy," Nash said post-game.

"His scan was clean as we reported. His strength tests when he came back in the locker room were normal.

"It's something where we have to protect him. We have to trust him. It's very frustrating for James.

"We can't risk it if we can afford not to. That depends on trust between us and James and making sure he feels comfortable in the decision. I thought tonight the right decision was to not take any risk with him.

"Who knows? This may linger. It may be all behind us like we thought it was before the game.

"It's one of those things where the scan is clean, his strength tests are clean but he feels something so we're going to err on the side of caution."

Nash added that Harden underwent further strength tests in the locker room during Monday's game.

"When he went back, they tested his strength," he said. "The report was that they couldn’t declare there was anything.

"He's feeling something. We believe him. It's frustrating. We don't have any indicator that this is a long-term thing or he's done any damage.

"We just have to proceed day by day and monitor it and hopefully it's a very short-term thing."

Kyrie Irving stepped up with 40 points and seven assists, while Jeff Green had 23 in Harden's absence as the Nets improved to 35-16.

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman admitted the upcoming El Clasico is bigger than normal with the LaLiga title on the line.

The Catalans moved within one point of leaders Atletico Madrid with Monday's 1-0 win over Real Valladolid, with third-placed Real Madrid a further two points back.

Atletico have dropped points in five of their past eight league fixtures, including Sunday's 1-0 loss to Sevilla, opening the door in the title race.

Barcelona make the trip to the capital to play Madrid on Saturday, while Atletico meet fifth-placed Real Betis.

"I think the Clasico is always important," Koeman said.

"Of course, it's maybe more important now because of the situation in the league, where we and Real Madrid are fighting against Atletico Madrid to win the title this season.

"Of course, it's an important game with two big, big teams in the world and of course it's an important result for us to get more possibilities to win the title."

Barcelona will enter the El Clasico in excellent league form, having won their past six LaLiga matches and going unbeaten across 19 matches.

Madrid are unbeaten in their past nine in the league and have won their past three LaLiga matches.

"It was really important to win tonight after the results in the league, to be more close to Atletico at one point now," Koeman added. "But also Madrid is close to them and will be really emotional until the end of the season.

"The team is working good. We're confident we can win the title but as we saw today, every game is difficult."

Barcelona showed they knew how to suffer in order to beat Real Valladolid, much to the satisfaction of boss Ronald Koeman.

Ousmane Dembele's 90th-minute strike gave the Blaugrana a 1-0 victory over their relegation-threatened opponents at Camp Nou, cutting the gap to leaders Atletico Madrid to a solitary point.

Real Madrid are up next in El Clasico this weekend, with a thrilling three-way title battle looking set to go to the wire.

If any team looks capable of pulling clear it is Barca, who have won 13 and drawn one in LaLiga in 2021, although they were far from their fluent best for long periods on Monday – something Koeman acknowledged.

"You have to know how to suffer in all the games, we knew how to do it. So yes, we deserved to win," he told reporters.

"It is true that we have not been at the level of the last games , but it is normal that sometimes games like this happen.

"I think we lacked a bit of freshness, it could be because of the international break. So yes, we are now able to win our games and be champions."

That Barca's title destiny is now in their hands owes much to France winger Dembele, who is enjoying his most consistent run of form and fitness since a big-money 2017 switch from Borussia Dortmund in 2017.

"Of course he is an important player, he has shown it today with his game, he has given us the points," Koeman said.

"His form this year is very good. Physically he has improved a lot and that has been the key to his consistency.

"I would like him to stay with us."

After the match, Barcelona announced Philippe Coutinho has undergone a successful meniscus procedure.

The playmaker has not featured in 2021 due to his knee injury.

Ousmane Dembele's struggles for fitness and form at Barcelona are deservedly coming right at the perfect time, according to team-mate Clement Lenglet.

Barca looked set to be held to a frustrating 0-0 draw at home to Real Valladolid on Monday before Dembele volleyed a 90th-minute winner – victory closing Ronald Koeman's side to within a point of leaders Atletico Madrid with nine games of the LaLiga season remaining.

Since moving to Camp Nou from Borussia Dortmund for an initial €105million in 2017, the 23-year-old France winger has been beset by injury problems.

But Dembele has become an increasingly integral member of Koeman's team since the turn of the year, forming a fruitful attacking alliance with Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann.

Griezmann was substituted against Valladolid and Messi was frustrated by former team-mate Jordi Masip in the visitors' goal, leaving Dembele to step forward as the hero.

"It doesn't surprise me," Lenglet told LaLiga TV. "He couldn't play a lot of games because of injuries and now it looks like everything is calm in that respect.

"When he is physically well he's a very good dribbler, he's got two good feet, a lot of speed. He gives us a lot.

"I'm very happy for him because he's worked hard for this and he deserves it."

Dembele was also involved in the game's other key moment, when Valladolid midfielder Oscar Plano was sent off for bring him down in the 79th minute.

Although Plano's challenge was unquestionably cynical, the red card came as a surprise to his team-mates.

Nevertheless, Lenglet felt the punishment fitted the crime.

"The red card was [decided] very quick," he said. "Ousmane took a very hard foul from behind, that's why the ref sanctioned him in that way.

"I think the card is deserved because of the foul from behind."

Next up for Barcelona is a crunch Clasico clash at Real Madrid on Saturday, with their bitter rivals two points behind them in third as an intriguing title race reaches boiling point.

"It's proved this league is very difficult. We’ve got to fight to win every game," Lenglet added.

"It's the fruit of our hard work these results. We've worked very hard in these last few months, things are going better for us but there's a long way to go."

Federico Delbonis eased through to the last 16 and Soonwoo Kwon held off a strong fight from Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune in Monday's Andalucia Open action.

Eighth seed Delbonis lost serve twice in the first set against Roberto Carballes Baena but recovered well to claim a 7-5 6-1 victory in Marbella.

He will take on Norbert Gombos, who recovered to beat Juan Ignacio Londero 6-7 (3-7) 6-1 6-3, for a place in the quarter-finals of the clay-court event.

Kwon was made to do things the hard way against junior tennis world number one Rune, who took the match all the way.

Despite trailing 3-1 in the third set, seventh seed Kwon held his nerve to force a tie-break and prevailed 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-4).

Ricardas Berankis is also through thanks to a 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 victory over Lucas Pouille in just under three hours.

Meanwhile, seeded pair Tommy Paul and Guido Pella fell at the first hurdle in the Sardegna Open to Yannick Hanfmann and Egor Gerasimov respectively.

Eighth seed Paul recovered after squandering a 4-1 lead in a first-set tie-break but fell 7-6 (10-8) 5-7 6-3, while seventh seed Pella lost 6-4 6-0 in straight sets to Gerasimov.

Elsewhere in Cagliari, Aljaz Bedene rallied past teenager Giulio Zeppieri 1-6 7-5 7-6 (7-3) and Laslo Djere eliminated Italian wildcard Federico Gaio 6-4 6-2.

Ousmane Dembele thumped in a 90th-minute winner as Barcelona beat Real Valladolid 1-0 and cut Atletico Madrid's advantage at the top of LaLiga to a solitary point.

Ronald Koeman's resurgent side had won their previous five top-flight matches but were short of their best for much of the first half, with Kenan Kodro hitting the crossbar for Valladolid.

Lionel Messi and his team-mates tried to crank through the gears in the second half but struggled to find a breakthrough, even after Oscar Plano was sent off 11 minutes from time for a cynical foul on Dembele.

The France winger would have the final word, swiping home on the volley after Ronald Araujo made a nuisance of himself on the end of Frenkie de Jong's cross - setting up next weekend's pivotal Clasico showdown perfectly.

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was back in action for the first time since Germany's humiliating 2-1 defeat to North Macedonia and he was relieved to see Kodro's header cannon to safety off the bar.

Messi won a free-kick in the 15th minute and clipped wide but the visitors continued to acquit themselves well.

Roque Mesa grazed the top of the netting with a speculative strike before Barca let the playmaker run unchallenged for around 30 yards to blast over.

Barcelona belatedly found some rhythm before the interval and Pedri linked up nicely with Messi to fire in a rasping low drive that Jordi Masip tipped against the right post.

Koeman's front three were all involved before the hour – Messi releasing Dembele to draw a brilliant low stop from Masip, with Antoine Griezmann sending an improvised diving header wide on the rebound.

Jordi Alba survived appeals for a penalty after the ball flicked off his hand inside the Barca box and Plano sliced wide on another threatening break.

A yellow card would arguably have been suffice for Plano's petulance and Valladolid buckled at the last in what felt like a huge moment in the title race.

Amanda Anisimova, Alize Cornet and Paula Badosa all survived scares on Monday to advance through to the second round of the Volvo Car Open in Charleston.

Number 13 seed Anisimova came from a set down to beat Magda Linette 5-7 6-2 6-3 on Monday, dropping serve only once in those last two sets.

Cornet, who reached the quarter-finals of this event in 2018, needed just under three hours to overcome Bernarda Pera 4-6 6-4 6-4.

Badosa also needed all three sets to see off Varvara Gracheva, the Spaniard hitting back to prevail 3-6 7-5 6-1.

Ajla Tomljanovic and Zarina Diyas were also among those to book a place in the next round, beating Christina McHale and Natalia Vikhlyantseva respectively in straight sets.

In the other WTA Tour event, Copa Colsanitas top seed Zheng Saisai eased past Usue Maitane Arconada 6-3 6-1 and will now face Stefanie Voegele.

Wang Yafan was another Chinese player to advance in Bogota, seeing off Emiliana Arango 6-4 5-7 7-5.

It is safe to say Jrue Holiday enjoyed himself in the NBA last week.

The former All-Star sparkled for the Milwaukee Bucks before the weekend brought news of a four-year, $160million extension.

On the evidence of his performances since last Monday, it was a well-earned reward.

Holiday leads this week's NBA Heat Check, powered by Stats Perform data, alongside a man he might have counted as a team-mate this season.
 

RUNNING HOT...

Jrue Holiday

The Bucks paid a big price to get Holiday from the New Orleans Pelicans in a bid to persuade Giannis Antetokounmpo to stay. It was a move that worked in that sense and is increasingly showing its merit on the floor, too.

Milwaukee may have tumbled to third in the East this season, but they are showing signs they might finally provide a threat in the playoffs.

Holiday will be key to that, as he was during a three-game winning run last week. After starting their road trip with defeat at the Los Angeles Clippers, in which Holiday scored 24 points, the point guard tallied 28, 22 and 33 respectively in victories over the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings.

An average of 26.8 over those seven days lifted Holiday's seasonal mark from 15.9 to 17.0.

Bogdan Bogdanovic

As the Bucks desperately sought reinforcements to prove their ambition to Antetokounmpo, a deal for Bogdanovic from the Kings was reportedly struck. Instead, however, he signed for the Atlanta Hawks.

Milwaukee are certainly a more serious prospect than Atlanta, but the Hawks are belatedly finding some form with the help of Bogdanovic.

The forward had just two starts for the season until late March but has since been in the lineup for six successive games, including a run of three wins last week that started with his 28-point display against the San Antonio Spurs in which he shot 70.6 per cent from the field.

Gary Trent Jr.

Last week allowed teams around the NBA to get a good look at the players they traded for before the deadline, and the Toronto Raptors could only be pleased with Trent's output.

He averaged 23.3 for the week, albeit the Raptors only won once. Trent had a staggering plus/minus of 54 in that demolition of the Golden State Warriors.

Norm Powell, the man Trent was traded for, tallied 13.7 points across three Portland games, although the Blazers won two of them.
 

GOING COLD...

Victor Oladipo

While Trent has had an instant impact, the same certainly cannot be said for Oladipo.

The two-time All-Star was the Miami Heat's most notable signing as a move for Trent's new Toronto team-mate Kyle Lowry did not materialise, while LaMarcus Aldridge headed for the Brooklyn Nets after agreeing a buy out with the Spurs.

On his third team of 2021, Oladipo was averaging 20.8 points for the season prior to his Heat debut but then tallied a measly total of 14 points across his first two games as a Miami player.

Zach LaVine

Oladipo's is not the only switch yet to prove profitable, with the Chicago Bulls making a big move to bring in Nikola Vucevic to pair fellow All-Star LaVine.

But LaVine, previously scoring 27.9 points in 2020-21, averaged an underwhelming 20.0 last week.

No player in the NBA saw a greater decrease in their made shots from three-point range - 3.5 previously but just 1.3 last week - and LaVine was among three Bulls in the top five in that unwanted table (also Vucevic and Lauri Markkanen).

DeAndre Jordan

Like LaVine, Jordan was not on the move ahead of the deadline. But he was still negatively impacted.

When Aldridge chose Brooklyn over Miami, the Nets center - already struggling to hold off surprise star Nicolas Claxton - saw his opportunities decrease further.

Jordan played in only two of his team's four games last week, appearing for less than 12 minutes in each and averaging 1.5 rebounds down from 7.5 for the season.