DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic had 27 points and 13 assists, Kyrie Irving scored 17 points and Daniel Gafford also scored 17 playing a season-high 24 minutes as the Dallas Mavericks beat 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 while improving to 2-2 on a five-game homestand.
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Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) defends as Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) drives the ball past in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) defends as Chicago Bulls' Coby White (0) passes the ball in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) defends as Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (44) tries to get past him in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Chicago Bulls forward Dalen Terry (25) tries to drive past Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Nikola Vucevic had 14 points and 10 rebounds while sitting out the fourth quarter to lead the Bulls, who have lost three straight games. Rookie Matas Buzelis, who had five total points this season going into play, had 13 points and nine rebounds.
Dallas played without starting forward P.J. 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 consecutive game without leading scorer Zach LaVine, who has a right adductor strain.
Bulls: On a night when Dallas lacked two of its regular big men, the Bulls were on pace for their most 3-point shots this season at halftime with 27 – but shooting 18.5%. They finished 12 of 42 for 28.6%.
Mavericks: They held their own inside, outscoring the Bulls 60-48 in the paint and standing even on second-chance points 12-12.
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.
Dallas led in points off turnovers 28-13.
The Bulls will complete a back-to-back at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. The Mavericks will host the Phoenix Suns on Friday.
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Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) defends as Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) drives the ball past in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) defends as Chicago Bulls' Coby White (0) passes the ball in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) defends as Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (44) tries to get past him in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Chicago Bulls forward Dalen Terry (25) tries to drive past Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Shares recovered from early losses in Asia on Thursday after U.S. stocks stormed to records as investors wagered on what Donald Trump’s return to the White House will mean for the economy and the world.
Markets also were turning their attention to the Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates, due later in the day.
Japan's Nikkei 225 was down 0.1% at 39,458.86, while the Kospi in Seoul rebounded to pick up 0.5%, to 2,576.30.
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 edged 0.1% higher to 8,204.80.
Chinese shares also climbed. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.9% to 20,729.01. The Shanghai Composite index also was 0.9% higher, at 3,413.47.
Trump has promised to slap blanket 60% tariffs on all Chinese imports, raising them still more if Beijing makes a move to invade the self-governing island of Taiwan.
Investors are adding to bets built earlier on what the higher tariffs, lower tax rates and lighter regulation that Trump favors will mean. Higher tariffs on imports from China would add to the burdens Beijing is facing as it struggles to revive slowing growth in the world's second-largest economy.
Higher tariffs on imports from China, Mexico and other countries also would raise the risk of trade wars and other disruptions to the global economy.
But Trump's win raised expectations that Beijing may ramp up its spending and other stimulus to counter such trends. The Standing Committee of China's legislature is meeting this week and is expected to announce further measures by Friday.
On Wednesday, the U.S. stock market, Elon Musk’s Tesla, banks and bitcoin all stormed higher, as investors made bets on what Donald Trump’s return to the White House will mean for the economy and the world. Among the losers the market sees: the renewable-energy industry and potentially anyone worried about higher inflation.
The S&P 500 rallied 2.5% to 5,929.04 for its best day in nearly two years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 3.6% to 43,729.93, while the Nasdaq composite jumped 3% to 18,983.47. All three indexes topped records they had set in recent weeks.
The impact of Trump's second term will likely depend on whether his fellow Republicans win control of Congress, and that’s not yet clear.
Investors see Trump’s policies potentially leading to stronger economic growth. That helps push prices down and yields up for Treasurys. Tax cuts under Trump could further swell the U.S. government’s deficit, increasing borrowing and forcing yields even higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury jumped to 4.43% from 4.29% late Tuesday, which is a major move for the bond market. It’s up substantially from August, when it was below 4%.
Investors expect the incoming president's policies, particularly higher tariffs, to fan inflation and add costs to U.S. household bills. Sharp cutbacks in immigration could also leave businesses shorthanded, forcing companies to raise wages for workers faster and put more upward pressure on prices.
Much of Wall Street’s run to records this year was built on expectations for coming cuts to interest rates by the Federal Reserve, as inflation has headed back down to its 2% target. Easier interest rates help boost the economy, but they can also give inflation more fuel.
The Fed will announce its latest decision on interest rates Thursday, where the expectation is still for a cut, according to data from CME Group. But traders are already paring back forecasts for how many cuts the Fed will provide through the middle of next year.
In other dealings early Thursday, the U.S. dollar weakened against the Japanese yen, slipping to 154.46 from 154.62. The euro rose to $1.0740 from $1.0730.
U.S. benchmark crude oil gained 45 cents to $72.14 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, was up 55 cents at $75.47.
The price of bitcoin slipped to $75,780 after hitting an all-time high above $76,480 on Wednesday, according to CoinDesk. Trump has pledged to make the country “the crypto capital of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin.
AP Business Writer Stan Choe contributed to this report.
A man passes a video monitor on the side of the New York Stock Exchange in New York's Financial District on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)
A board above the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange shows the closing number for the Dow Jones industrial average, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
People pass the New York Stock Exchange in New York's Financial District on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)
A TV camera screen shows the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won and the Korean Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (KOSDAQ) at a foreign exchange dealing room in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Members of media stand near the screens showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), left, the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won and the Korean Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (KOSDAQ) at a foreign exchange dealing room in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
A currency trader talks on the phone at a foreign exchange dealing room in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
A tv cameraman films the screens showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), left, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won at a foreign exchange dealing room in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
A currency trader walks by the screens showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), left, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won at a foreign exchange dealing room in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
A currency trader walks by the screens showing the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won at a foreign exchange dealing room in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
