The focal point, again, was the Mavericks' perimeter, and in their second game as a re-conjoined starting tandem, Luka Doncic and Dennis Smith Jr. dazzled at times.
The Mavericks also got a big lift from their bench players en route to Friday's night's 106-101 victory over Detroit at American Airlines Center.
Doncic made an All-Star-berth-type statement, finishing with 32 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Smith had 19 points and five assists in this matchup of 21-26 teams that are fighting to get into playoff contention in their respective conferences.
Maxi Kleber led the bench production with 12 points and four blocked shots, two of them in the final minutes to help the Mavericks hold off a Pistons comeback.