Luka Doncic's 27 points, 13 assists lead Dallas Mavericks past Chicago Bulls 119-99

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.

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)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)