Dante Exum scores 27 points to lead undermanned, undersized Mavericks past Heat, 118-113

DALLAS (AP) — Dante Exum scored a season-high 27 points, one short of his career high, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Miami Heat 118-113 on Thursday night.

Max Christie added 19 points, Spencer Dinwiddie had 17 and Kessler Edwards finished with season highs of 15 points and nine rebounds as the undermanned, undersized Mavericks swept a home back-to-back and won for the fourth time in five games.

Tyler Herro scored 40 points for the Heat, who were swept in a road back-to-back and have lost four consecutive games. Rookie Kel’el Ware had 17 points and Kyle Anderson added 15 points and 10 rebounds

The Mavericks had eight players listed on the injury report, with Kyrie Irving (shoulder strain) and Klay Thompson (sprained foot) added after playing extensive minutes Wednesday night.

Dallas’ tallest regulars were Edwards and Olivier-Maxence Prosper, each 6-foot-8.

Heat: Miami played without starting forwards Bam Adebayo (knee contusion) and Andrew Wiggins (illness). Herro scored only two points in the first period, starting 1 of 7 from the floor.

Mavericks: It was the first time Exum has led Dallas in scoring in 62 regular-season games over two seasons. Edwards, on a two-way contract, played a career-most 40 minutes.

The Heat brought the ball upcourt trailing 116-113 with 28 seconds left. Herro was short on a tying 3-pointer from the right corner, leaving him 3 of 14 behind the arc, and Christie grabbed the rebound.

Despite the presence of the 7-foot Ware and 6-10 Nikola Jovic in Miami’s lineup, the Mavericks broke even 25-25 on points in the paint.

Both teams will come out of the break playing Feb. 21. The Heat will play three more road games, beginning at Toronto. The Mavericks will host New Orleans, their fifth consecutive home game.

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Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington, left, sits on the bench in street clothes during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Dallas Mavericks guard Brandon Williams, right, shoots against Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Former NBA basketball player J. R. Smith watches during the first half a game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra talks to his team during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Dallas Mavericks players, from left, Caleb Martin, Dwight Powell, P.J. Washington and Dereck Lively II sit with teammates on the bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. dribbles up court against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell works the floor against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Dallas Mavericks guard Max Christie, right, grabs at the jersey of Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. as he drives to the basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Mark Cuban reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) tries to keep the ball in bounds while being challenged by Dallas Mavericks guard Max Christie (00) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

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)