Dallas @ Golden State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 20, 2019 ) Golden State 94, Dallas 142

Luka Doncic plays in his second game since returning from an ankle injury when the Dallas Mavericks face the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night in San Francisco. Doncic didn't look rusty from the four-game absence as he contributed 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in Thursday's 102-98 home win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Doncic is averaging 29.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 8.8 assists while quickly boosting the Mavericks' fortunes and the 20-year-old admitted he was winded at times against San Antonio. "Anytime you're out for that amount of time and you have been a regular player playing 33 to 34 minutes, when you first come back it is going to hit you pretty quick with wind," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle told reporters. "But as the game went on he felt pretty good in the third quarter." Doncic recorded 35 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds when the Mavericks clobbered the Warriors 142-94 on Nov. 20 in Dallas and Golden State figures to be fired up for the rematch. The Warriors own a season-best four-game winning streak and outscored the visiting Phoenix Suns 39-18 in the fourth quarter on Friday to rally to a 105-96 victory.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Dallas), NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (20-10): Dallas split the four games without Doncic but the players knew there was a major void without the young star. "We were missing him," big man Maxi Kleber told reporters. "He's an exceptional player -- one of the best out there. So everybody's just happy he's finally back. We couldn't wait, he couldn't wait." Shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 17 points against San Antonio and is averaging 18.3 over the past four games.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (9-24): Golden State looked destined to go down to defeat on Friday when it trailed by 10 points with under nine minutes remaining before erupting down the stretch for a victory that left shooting guard D'Angelo Russell beaming. "We're growing," Russell said during a postgame television interview. "Every game we're growing and figuring out ways to limit our mistakes at the end of the game and executing down the stretch and coming in with a game plan and executing. We're growing. That's it. Simple as that." Shooting guard Damion Lee continues to be a stellar contributor and had 16 points, seven rebounds and three steals in the victory.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Warriors have lost the last two meetings after winning 19 of the previous 21.

2. Golden State committed just 11 turnovers against Phoenix while forcing 27.

3. Dallas PF Kristaps Porzingis is just 9-of-30 shooting over the past two games while averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds.

PREDICTION: Mavericks 118, Warriors 106