The Los Angeles Lakers got a much needed win on the road against the defending NBA champions Dallas Mavericks. This was a back-and-forth contest, but LA pulled ahead late—and then held on in the last seconds for a 96-91 victory. 

LA couldn't make their free throws down the stretch, which let the Mavericks back in it, but Dallas couldn't complete the comeback.

The Lakers were in desperate need of a road win, having entered this game with just a 5-11 record away from the Staples Center. 

Tweets of the Night

ESPN's Mike Hill tweets about Pau Gasol's resurgence in this game.

Good win for the Lakers after all the drama. Kobe wasn't Kobe but they got it done on the road and it looked like Pau saw Dr Phil!!

— Mike Hill (@MikeHillESPN) February 23, 2012

ESPN's Dave McMenamin reminded us that through all the turmoil, the Lakers are still very much a factor in the NBA.

Through all the turmoil, the Lakers are20-13 at season's halfway mark and have won 5 of 6 with this 96-91 victory. Don't count em out.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 23, 2012

Must-See Highlight

Kobe was off for most of this night, but the Mamba still managed to pull off the spectacular. 

Grades for Key Lakers Players

Kobe Brant: C-

Kobe was off for the majority of the night, and he was sloppy with the ball. He finished with 15 points, but was just four-for-15 from the field. He also had seven turnovers. 

Pau Gasol: A-

Gasol played one of his better games of the season. He had 24 points on 11-for-18 shooting. He also had eight rebounds, four assists, three steals and a clutch bucket with 1:30 left to give the Lakers a five-point lead. 

Grades for Key Mavericks Players

Dirk Nowitzki: C

Nowitzki put up some decent numbers as he finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds, but he was just nine-for-22 from the field.   

Vince Carter: B-

Carter was excellent early in the game, but was non-existent in the fourth quarter. He spent the majority of that crucial quarter on the bench. He finished with 20 points on 7-17 shooting.

Deciding Factors: Fourth Quarter Play

The Lakers were a step quicker in the fourth, and appeared to want this game more in the final quarter. This led to big rebounds and clutch plays. 

Stat of the Night: Six

That is the amount of consecutive free throws the Lakers missed in the closing stretch that would have iced this game. Luckily for them, Matt Barnes boarded the sixth-consecutive miss and drilled his two from the charity stripe.

Game MVP: Pau Gasol

Gasol was efficient and involved all game. He also kept the Lakers in this when they were struggling to score. 

What's Next?

The Lakers have a quick turnaround and will play on Thursday night in Oklahoma City. The Mavericks are off until next Tuesday when they will host the Nets.