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Dallas, TX
Luka Doncic;s Game-Winner Gives Dallas Mavericks 2-0 Series Lead Over Timberwolves
MINNEAPOLIS — Coming off a Game 1 victory, the Dallas Mavericks achieved another victory at Target Center to begin the Western Conference finals with a 2-0 series lead. It came down to the final possession for the Mavs, with Luka Doncic’s game-winning step-back 3-pointer with Rudy Gobert on an island pushing them to a 109-108 win in Game 2.
Minnesota featured Towns early in the post to attack the smaller matchup in P.J. Washington. While he initially shot 1-5 from the floor, he could draw fouls and had five early points. Minnesota pushed the pace after the Mavericks’ turnovers, but began playing out of side ball screens with Mike Conley attacking Doncic trying to deny use of the screen with ICE coverage by attacking space baseline.
It was a tightly contested game early, with the Timberwolves going up 21-17 midway through the first period after Derrick Jones Jr. was blocked in transition, leading to a catch and finish for Gobert. The early momentum continued to be in Minnesota’s favor, with Dallas to turn positive plays into lengthy runs.
Naz Reid heated up with a made 3-pointer both to end the first quarter and to begin the second. With Towns taking advantage of the mismatch against Washington, he extended Minnesota’s advantage to double figures (11) for the first time in the game. Dallas responded by getting Lively to the free throw line, but Conley fired back with a 3-pointer to extend the Timberwolves’ edge to 12.
Doncic responded by snaking a ball screen to get a step-back 3-pointer. However, Minnesota continued to answer back Dallas, with Towns being featured inside as the offense’s focal point. He scored against Washington in the post, then found Reid in the corner to put the Timberwolves up by a 15-point margin, prompting the Mavericks to call a timeout. The lead grew as large as 17.
Dallas began tightening up defensively but came up empty in opportune situations offensively, including Lively mishandling a catch on an open alley-oop. Minnesota held a 60-48 advantage entering the break, with double figure scoring performances already from Edwards with 13 points while Conley and Reid each had 12 points. Towns and Gobert both added nine points and five rebounds at this point as well.
Doncic recorded 16 points, six rebounds, and five assists playing 21 of 24 first half minutes, but had a difficult time getting to his spots in the first half. He shot 5-14 from the floor and 2-8 from inside the arc. He was the team’s only double figure scorer to this point, with Lively’s eight points being closest. Dallas shot 18-46 (39.1%) overall and 4-14 (28.6%) from deep through two quarters.
Early in the second half, the Mavericks made it a six-point game after Doncic continued to guide the offense with his scoring and playmaking. A turnover prevented them from progressing after reaching that point, but Dallas stuck with it and eventually overtook the lead. Doncic was having an easier time attacking downhill than earlier in the game while hitting a 3-pointer.
Without Doncic on the court, Jaden Hardy made impressive plays to pull the Mavericks within two points multiple times. The first was a 3-pointer followed by a closeout attack that led to a lob pass for Gafford. Irving also made a series of plays attacking downhill, but Minnesota closed the period with an 86-79 lead after Reid hit a quick trigger 3-pointer out of a Horns flare set.
Doncic returned to the court for the fourth quarter with Irving also on the floor. Dallas used an 8-0 run to quckly overtake an 87-86 advantage with Irving scoring or assisting on all of these points. He used a pair of 3-pointers and assisted Washington during this stretch.
With the Mavericks focused on collapsing the paint when Edwards attacked downhill, Minnesota had a five-out offense out to begin the period. This helped create a spray-out pass that led to a 3-pointer for Reid to retake the lead. Irving responded with a deep make from beyond the arc of his own. The game was set up to be tight, with every possession being crucial.
Dallas continued to leave Reid open and were made to pay for doing so. His seventh made 3-pointer put Minnesota ahead 94-92 with 6:36 remaining in regulation. It was a struggle for the Mavericks to find the proper balance with handling double screener actions along with gnerall collapsing the paint while being able to get out on Reid with many of his shots being wide open.
Gafford finished a series of paint touches, including a throw-ahead transition pass where he bodied Conley to secure the catch and threw up the scoop finish on his way to the ground. Reid again responded by attacking off the catch for a dunk to tie it up again. Dallas became more focused on switching these actions down the stretch.
Minnesota made a series of clutch plays in the paint to maintain a three-point lead while Irving split a pair of free throws and turned it over trying to attack Edwards. Irving did manage to recover the ball before lobbing it to Lively for a dunk, but Conley made a floater on the other end. Dallas came within one point numerous times in this stint.
Dallas turned to Stack pick-and-roll for Doncic to find Lively behind Gobert for a catch and finish to pull ahead, but Conley responded with a made floater. Irving had a second-chance 3-point attempt to give the Mavericks momentum but missed after Jones’ initial offline attempt. Edwards attacked the rack to get to the line and made both free throws, putting Minnesota up by three with under two minutes remaining the game clock.
Irving used a double drag action to get deep on a drive before using contact to draw a foul, but he missed both free throw attempts. Dallas then fouled Edwards while in the bonus as he was trying to pass, resultign in falling down by five after he made both. Irving hit a corner 3-pointer late in the shot clock to make it 108-106 with about a minute left.
Edwards drew two on a ball screen and passed it to McDaniels on the baseline, who immediately was trapped and ended up turning it over after a successful challenge by the Mavericks. Dallas gained possession with 47.3 seconds to play while facing a two-point deficit. Doncic orchestrated a possession out of Horns that got Gobert switched onto him but he missed a step-back in short-range. Edwards then turned it over after getting stuck near the nail making a series of pivots.
The Mavericks once again had possession with a chance to tie or take the lead. This time, 12.8 seconds were remaining in the fourth quarter. Doncic seized the moment by getting Gobert switched onto him again and breaking him down off the dribble to create what proved to be the game-winning shot since Reid went on to miss at the buzzer.
Looking ahead, the series will continue on Sunday when Game 3 is played at American Airlines Center for the first of two games.
Stick with MavericksGameday for more coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the NBA Playoffs.
Follow Grant Afseth on Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.
FRISCO, Texas — For the first time since 1995, the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs will face off on Thanksgiving Day.
On that day 30 years ago, Troy Aikman’s 192 passing yards and two touchdowns were enough to beat Chiefs QB Steve Bono’s 276 yards passing as the Cowboys won 24-12.
Now, both teams are in a new era, with Dak Prescott leading the Cowboys and Patrick Mahomes the Chiefs. The two have only faced each other one time, with Mahomes and Kansas City getting the better of Prescott and the Cowboys 19-9 at Arrowhead Stadium back in 2021.
Who will come out on top in their first meeting since, with the Cowboys sitting at 5-5-1 and the Chiefs at 6-5? Our staff weighs in:
Patrik: This is yet another difficult one to predict, but it does feel a lot less impossible for the Cowboys to walk away with this one than, say, four weeks ago when they fell to 3-5-1 after being dismantled by the lowly Cardinals. One trade deadline and bye week later and they’ve added Quinnen Williams, Logan Wilson, DeMarvion Overshown and Shavon Revel to the active roster, and Caelen Carson looks rejuvenated in his return from IR. The problem now is self-inflicted wounds that continue to make things more difficult for the Cowboys than they need be, and including offensively, being a key reason Dak Prescott and Co. sputtered or stalled on several drives against Philly. Do that against the Chiefs and you’re eating an L for Thanksgiving dinner. Mahomes is still Mahomes, yes, but while Travis Kelce can impact games, he’s not a gamebreaker anymore, and I do think the Cowboys’ defense bottles up the KC rushing attack much how they successfully did Ashton Jeanty and Saquon Barkley; and the offensive line that deleted the Eagles’ acclaimed front gives me good vibes. A close one here, but Dallas finds a way … wow, I just said that, huh? 24-21, Cowboys
Tommy: There is no question that the Cowboys’ defense has improved a lot since the trade deadline when they made the moves to acquire Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson, and were also able to get guys like DeMarvion Overshown back from injury. Because of that, Dallas has done what they’ve aimed to do all year the last two weeks: Stop the run. And it’s worked! I think it’ll work on Thursday against Kansas City as well. When your run game gets stopped offensively, what do you do? Well, throw the ball. The good thing for Dallas is in their last two games, the teams that have thrown the ball on them have been the 23rd (Eagles) and 25th (Raiders) passing offenses in the league. Kansas City is the 2nd best passing offense, right behind Dallas at #1. I don’t think the Cowboys secondary is at a place to where they can consistently stop Patrick Mahomes and his array of speedy wide receivers, plus Travis Kelce who may not be as shifty as he once was but is still plenty efficient and leads the team in receiving yards. I’m not as concerned about Dallas’ offense, but they’ll still have to beat a tricky Steve Spagnuolo defense that’s a top ten unit. Don’t be fooled by the Chiefs’ 6-5 record, all their losses have been by one possession. I don’t mean to ruin Thanksgiving, but I’m taking Kansas City. Chiefs 31, Cowboys 24
Nick: I love the build-up to this game, because a few weeks back, I didn’t think it would be any decision at all to pick this game. Every time we saw a quarterback such as Bo Nix, Jacob Brissett or even Bryce Young and Russell Wilson before that, all I could think of was how bad it’s going to be when Mahomes comes in here on Thanksgiving. Well, that defense is not the same. Just how different are they? We’ll find out soon enough. But more than just playing him, I wonder how consistent the Cowboys can be as a team. We haven’t seen three straight wins since 2023 and something tells me it’s just not going to happen this week. Kansas City might look the same with a 6-5 record, but they haven’t played many games with their entire offense – Kelce, Worthy, Pacheco, Hunt, Rice, etc. They’re all coming together again and I just think it’s going to be too much for the Cowboys to overcome. I think it’ll be high-scoring, but I’ll take the Chiefs 34-30.
Mickey: We’ve been seeing more and more of this in his two games with the Cowboys, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams becoming a nuisance for opposing offenses with his ability to disrupt up front. Well, the Chiefs will be without starting guard Trey Smith, and look for Q to take over the game up front, not only being a huge help stopping the Chiefs running attack but also applying pressure to QB Patrick Mahomes. So, thinking the Cowboys will get a game-ball like performance from Williams up front, dragging this defense along with him, enabling the Cowboys to pick up their third consecutive victory and inch above .500 for the first time this season.
Dallas, TX
If the Dallas Stars move to the suburbs, what city deals could help fund a new $1B arena?
As speculation surrounds the Dallas Stars eyeing a move to the site of a Plano shopping mall, there are few details available on the NHL team’s potential new $1 billion arena — or the incentives cities may offer to attract the team in a competitive market.
From grants to tax breaks, there are several tools Texas cities can use for economic development. Some go to the ballot, but other incentives can go through without a vote as cities vie for the prestige, potential economic boost and tax revenue that comes with hosting a major sports team and its stadium.
After discussions with Frisco, The Colony, Arlington and Fort Worth, the Dallas Stars are considering relocating from the American Airlines Center in Dallas to The Shops at Willow Bend, two people with knowledge of the team’s efforts told The Dallas Morning News this fall, potentially following the lead of many major U.S. sports teams’ exodus to the suburbs.
Nola Agha, professor at the University of San Francisco, researches the economic impact of teams and stadiums. While a team’s move might not generate much new economic activity at the regional level, a move within North Texas can make things competitive, she said.
“When you live in a suburb, and you care about your own tax base … you see this competition between municipalities for shifting that activity,” Agha said.
City officials will not comment on the Stars or a potential arena, but Plano has historically used incentives to attract companies like Toyota, Capital One and JPMorgan Chase to anchor regional headquarters in the city.
Ted Benavides, former Dallas city manager and a professor of social sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas, said Plano is well-positioned to pursue a deal with the Stars, as cities like Arlington and Frisco have done with major North Texas teams.
“They have money,” Benavides said. “They’re very active on the economic development front, so there’s a lot of things they could do.”
An exterior view of The Shops at Willow Bend mall at W Park Blvd and the North Dallas Tollway in Plano, Texas, October 28, 2025.
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer
Grants and loans
Texas law allows cities to use money to promote economic development. In addition to tax breaks, a city can award companies grants and loans to incentivize them to stay in, move to or invest in a city.
In 2006, the Plano City Council approved a property tax increase of two cents per $100 property valuation for an economic development incentive fund. The city caps annual contributions to the fund at $8.5 million, city documents show, and uses the money to offer loans and grants that promote economic development.
Benavides said Plano was likely motivated to compete with cities like McKinney, Frisco and Allen that use the sales tax they are not contributing to public transportation to fund economic development corporations.
Plano contributes a one-cent sales tax to Dallas Area Rapid Transit — $116 million in the 2023 fiscal year, according to DART documents. The city plans to hold an election to withdraw from the agency next May and, if voters choose to exit, eventually regain that penny of revenue.
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Cities can award grants for a number of reasons, including to promote redevelopment and revitalization of retail centers or cover a company’s fees to the city.
“It has to make financial sense for us,” said Doug McDonald, Plano’s economic development director and the city’s next deputy city manager.
McDonald would not comment on specific economic development projects not yet brought to the City Council, but gave insight into how Plano’s incentives generally work.
Economic development agreements involving grants typically last 6-10 years, he said, and factor in the tax revenue a project might generate and what service costs it might create.
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Redevelopment tools
Agha has found municipalities compete for sports teams to shift economic activity from one area to another, with cities traditionally using sales tax to finance sports development projects.
For example, in 2004, Arlington voters approved a half-cent sales tax increase and other increases to hotel and rental car taxes to help pay for the city’s $325 million contribution to AT&T Stadium, where the Dallas Cowboys play. The Cowboys paid the remaining cost of the $1.2 billion venue, according to the city.
“That’s fallen out of favor … because people don’t like to be taxed,” Agha said. “It usually has to go up to a vote, and it very commonly gets voted down. Because of that, the most popular financing technique, especially for smaller cities, is tax increment financing.”
This tool captures the growth in a property’s tax revenue created by new development within a defined area. When businesses and property owners invest in improvements in the area and those improvements increase tax revenue, that increase can be used to reimburse project costs or fund additional improvements that spur continued growth in the area.
A view of The Shops at Willow Bend mall sign at W Park Blvd and the North Dallas Tollway in Plano, Texas, October 28, 2025.
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer
Frisco and its school district have used this economic development tool to fund several projects, such as Toyota Stadium, PGA golf courses, the Ford Center and more.
“It’s popular because it’s relatively hidden, meaning the taxpayers don’t have to know that a city is using property tax and giving it back to a developer,” Agha said. “They don’t have to vote on it, and it can incentivize a developer to build something.”
But when economic development projects happen without voter approval, there may be fewer opportunities for residents to weigh in.
Plano currently has four such reinvestment zones, which are historically in “blighted or underdeveloped areas,” according to the city’s website. The existing zones are in East Plano, at Silver Line stations, at Collin Creek Mall and in Plano’s Legacy district.
“The intent of these districts is to help encourage areas that are in need of redevelopment and reinvestment,” McDonald said.
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Bond funding on the ballot
Cities can also ask voters to approve issuing bonds to fund projects and borrow money.
“Every once in a while, there are different things that come up in the community that are important enough that the bond committee of citizens puts something on the ballot,” McDonald said.
Some cities have funded large sports projects with bond funding. In 2016, Arlington voters approved $500 million in bonds to partially fund Globe Life Field.
Tax breaks
Another economic development tool is a break from certain taxes. Cities can offer companies tax abatements, reducing taxes for businesses on improvements to property. These can apply to things like commercial construction or facility expansions.
Tax abatements are an option if a company is adding significant value to a site, McDonald said.
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“We don’t typically use tax rebates or abatements when the building is already there unless there’s going to be a significant or complete demolition and rebuild,” McDonald said.
Agha said for large projects, tax breaks are a drop in the bucket.
“Arenas and stadiums are running close to a billion dollars,” Agha said. “Property tax abatement is probably a very small piece of what the total cost would be.”
What’s at stake
Economic development projects are meant to add value to the community in the form of high-paying jobs, sales tax, property tax and more. Their incentives often have expiration dates.
“Our hope is that the company stays here and continues to invest in the community,” McDonald said.
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Suburbs with more land flexibility can add development around the stadium to “sweeten the pot,” Benavides said, and add different streams of income. For example, the Texas Live! entertainment and hotel complex in Arlington near its ballpark received tax and grant incentives.
But new developments can disrupt traffic and the regular patterns of economic activity. They are not always popular. McDonald said city officials listen to concerns and will try to mitigate them.
“There’s potential for gain,” Agha said, if economic activity shifts from Dallas to Plano.
“The important caveat to that is, will the city enter into some sort of financial agreement where they essentially give back all that new economic activity to the team?” Agha asked. “The devil can be in the details.”
Email tips on all things Collin County to lilly.kersh@dallasnews.com.
Former American tennis professionals John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, John Isner, and Sam Querrey will play in the 2026 Dallas Open All-American Classic, the tournament announced Monday.
The exhibition event will take place at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2026 ahead of the tournament’s main draw beginning on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026.
“We’re thrilled to bring together four beloved American tennis stars for what promises to be an unforgettable evening of entertainment,” said Dallas Open tournament director Peter Lebedevs in a news release.
McEnroe, 66, is a former world No. 1 in both doubles and singles and the only men’s player to ever hold both simultaneously. He has won multiple major titles in both with 7 singles majors, 9 doubles majors and one mixed doubles major.
Roddick, 43, is a former world No. 1 who won his only career major at the 2003 U.S. Open. He played in four other major finals (one at the U.S. Open and three at Wimbledon) losing them all to his rival Roger Federer.
“The Dallas Open has quickly become one of the premier events on the ATP Calendar,” Roddick said. ”I’m honored to play alongside these guys and be part of the night. We all know how to compete and have fun on the court, which is what this night is all about.”
Isner, 40, is a Dallas resident and former top-10 singles player with 16 career ATP titles. He was known for his powerful serve, which averaged about 140 mph, but which went over 155 mph on occasion. He’s also played in the longest tennis match of all time, winning over five sets and 183 games against Nicolas Mahut that took 11 hours and five minutes across three days at Wimbledon in 2010.
Querrey, 38, peaked at No. 11 in the men’s singles rankings, winning 10 career titles and having a career-best majors finish at the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2017.
Tennis fans will also recognize the quartet from their contributions in the media after retirement. McEnroe is a prominent tennis commentator for ESPN at major tournaments. Roddick hosts the “Served” podcast while Isner and Querrey are part of the “Nothing Major Show.”
Tickets for the exhibition are available with prices around $100.
The ATP-500 level Dallas Open tournament is set to feature top-ranked Americans Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton as well as top-level Europeans in Casper Ruud and Grigor Dimitrov. It will take place from Feb. 7 to Feb. 15, 2026 in Frisco.
For more sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News, click here.
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