LeBron James, Lakers Drop 3rd Straight Game as Luka Doncic, Mavericks Win
The Dallas Mavericks closed a five-game road trip with a 109-104 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday. The Mavericks led by as many as 21 in the first half and had to stave off a furious second-half comeback by the Lakers.
Luka Doncic led the way with 25 points and eight rebounds as Dallas improved to 37-25.
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With the victory, the Mavericks finish 4-1 on their road swing with their only loss coming against the Utah Jazz.
The Lakers fell to 27-34 as their tailspin continues. Los Angeles has lost three straight and six of its last seven games. LeBron James had a team-high 26 points and 12 rebounds.
Notable Stats
G Luka Doncic, DAL: 25 points, 8 rebounds
G Jalen Brunson, DAL: 22 points
F LeBron James, LAL: 26 points, 12 rebounds
F Carmelo Anthony, LAL: 20 points (off bench)
G Russell Westbrook, LAL: 12 points (5-of-17 FG), 8 assists
Mavs Take Care of Business Against Reeling Lakers
Tuesday's game was a tale of two teams heading in different directions. Dallas has been finding its groove lately, while Los Angeles is a struggling team that is not as good as it was perceived to be. Quite frankly, the Mavericks did what they were supposed to do against middling Lakers squad.
Dallas was clicking on all cylinders and played with high energy on both ends of the floor in the first two quarters. The Mavs did a great job of attacking the basket for easy looks while also taking advantage of Lakers' mistakes. Dallas had 12 second-chance points and nine points off turnovers in the first half.
But the shots didn't go down as easily in the third quarter as Los Angeles stormed back to tie the game, erasing what was once a 21-point lead for Dallas. The Mavericks had six turnovers in the third quarter alone and were outscored 31-14.
Dallas managed to regain its composure in the fourth quarter, getting back to the hard-nosed defense it played in the first half. The Lakers were held to 17 points in the final frame on 36.8 percent shooting. While Los Angeles was stifled, Doncic was able to take over down the stretch to help secure the victory.
It wasn't an easy win, but Dallas showed that it can fight back when it gets hit in the mouth by a scrappy opponent. Besides a lapse in the third quarter, the Mavs outworked the Lakers and did a great job closing out the game.
Dallas has now won 21 of their last 28 games. The Mavericks can be a dangerous team in the playoffs, and they have a chance to push for homecourt advantage if they keep playing like this as the season winds down.
Lakers' Third-Quarter Comeback Not Enough
The first half of Tuesday's game was abysmal for the Lakers. Los Angeles opened the game with a lackluster effort on the defensive end, allowing the Mavericks to get whatever they wanted on offense and shoot 55.6 percent from the field. But a magical 12 minutes after halftime made things interesting.
The Lakers came out in the third quarter with an energy that has been rarely seen from them this season. Los Angeles seemed to surprise Dallas with its effort as the Mavs struggled to get their offense going the way they had in the first two quarters.
James spearheaded the Lakers' comeback with three triples that ignited the home crowd. Los Angeles turned a 15-point halftime deficit into a two-point lead entering the fourth quarter.
But the Lakers just couldn't finish things off in the final frame. After taking a six-point lead, Los Angeles was outscored 15-4 to end the game. It was especially surprising when James was singled out by Doncic on the defensive end, and the 23-year-old was able to get to his spots to put his team in front.
The Lakers showed character in that third quarter to erase the deficit, but it obviously wasn't enough. Time and time again this season, Los Angeles has struggled to close games. At this rate, it would be a surprise to see the Lakers make it past the play-in tournament.
What's Next?
The Mavericks will try to keep the momentum going Thursday at home against the Golden State Warriors, who they defeated Sunday after overcoming a 21-point deficit. The Lakers will also be in action Thursday as they try to bounce back against the Los Angeles Clippers.
