**ORLANDO – Jaden Hardy came off the bench to pour in 22 points on five-of-six three-pointers in leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 101-92 victory over the Orlando Magic on Thursday night at the Kia Center.**
With the win, the Mavs moved into 10th place in the Western Conference standings with a 36-38 record, while the Magic fell to 35-39.
In addition to Hardy, Anthony Davis collected 15 points and seven rebounds in 29 minutes for the Mavs, Brandon Williams pitched in with 14 points, six assists and two steals, and Klay Thompson and Max Christie added 12 points apiece.
The Magic were led by Paolo Banchero (35 points, 10 rebounds), Franz Wagner (20 points, nine boards), Duncanville’s Anthony Black (14 points) and Wendell Carter Jr. (12 point, five rebounds).
Trailing, 68-57, the Mavs outscored Orlando, 20-2, over the last five minutes of the third quarter and took a 77-70 lead into the fourth quarter. Dallas’ lead grew to as much as 12 points (92-80) after a pair of free throws from Hardy and a three-pointer by Thompson with 5:19 remaining in the game.
Wagner’s two charity tosses got Orlando within 94-88 of the Mavs. But Hardy countered with a three-pointer which took two friendly bounces before falling through the basket, giving Dallas a 97-88 lead with 1:52 left.
“After we went in the locker room (at halftime) and were just talking to each other, we knew we had to come out pushing the pace,” Hardy said. “Defensively, we wanted to get stops and come out and share the ball and attack our matchups that we wanted.
“That’s what I feel like we did differently and what led to the success in the second half. Each game we know it’s going to be a dogfight, so leaning on each other, that’s what we do.”
The Mavs sure had a lot of fun while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 47.8 percent from three-point land while again being short-handed. The Mavs played without Kyrie Irving (torn left ACL), Dereck Lively II (right ankle stress fracture), Daniel Gafford (right MCL sprain), P.J. Washington (left ankle sprain), Dante Exum (left fractured hand), Olivier-Maxence Prosper (right wrist surgery).
Also, the Mavs lost center Kai Jones to a left hip contusion seven minutes into the game for the rest of the night. Jones was injured when he received a lob pass from Naji Marshall, dunked it and fell awkwardly on the floor on his back.
While play resumed up the court, Jones laid on the floor for a bit before hopping up and making his way up the floor. Following a timeout, Jones went to the locker room while holding his lower back.
“That’s what happens when you jump too high,” Davis said. “He’s got too much bounce. But yeah, an awkward landing.
“But when he popped right up and he tried to run down the floor I didn’t believe it. But then the (stuff) kicked in for him. That’s when I went: That’s exactly how he should be feeling landing right on his tailbone. He looked fine moving around, but I know probably when he wakes up he’s probably going to be a little sore.”
Both teams got off to a slow start, with the Mavs leading, 19-17, after the first quarter. At that juncture, the Mavs were 8-of-21 from the field while Orlando was just 6-of-19 from the floor.
Three free throws with under one second left helped the Magic to a 50-43 lead at halftime. But the Mavs took control of the game when they outscored Orlando, 34-20, in the third quarter.
“Everybody in that locker room believe in ourselves and in each other,” Hardy said. “So, I feel like when you got that — and I feel like a great group of guys that lean on each other and that really care about each other, — once you get out on that floor all you have to do is have fun.”
**X: @DwainPrice**