Carlisle awed by Luka's wild game-winner vs. Grizzlies: 'We had Houdini'

No one may have appreciated Luka Doncic's latest magic act - an absurd, off-balance 3-point heave to stun the Memphis Grizzlies at the buzzer - more than Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle.

"This is one of those joyous nights where we escaped. We had Houdini," Carlisle said after the Mavericks' 114-113 win on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "He got us out of here alive."

Dallas trailed Memphis for most of the contest, but Carlisle's squad caught a break when Grizzlies guard Grayson Allen missed consecutive free throws with 2.2 seconds left and the Mavericks down two.

After the ensuing timeout, Doncic scrambled to receive the inbound pass from Maxi Kleber but had to maneuver away from Memphis center Jonas Valanciunas to get a shot up before time expired. The result was one of the most unorthodox game-winners in recent memory.

Even Doncic - who finished with 29 points, nine assists, five rebounds, and two steals in 34 minutes - couldn't understand how he pulled it off.

"I was losing my balance," the 22-year-old said after the contest. "I don't know. It just - I was just surprised when it went in. I don't know what to say, man. I really don't know."

With the last-gasp win, Dallas improves to 30-24 on the season and 7-3 in its last 10 games. It's also now just one game back of the sixth-place Portland Trail Blazers.

Carlisle expects Doncic's heave won't be forgotten soon.

"You pull off a miracle in a game like that once in a blue moon. ... Luka made one of the signature, special shots that you're going to see for a long time," he said.