Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic were the stars on Friday night for the Los Angeles Lakers, dropping a monster 73 combined points to dismantle a struggling Dallas Mavericks squad in a 129-119 victory. Doncic was clinical throughout the entire game, netting 35 points and dishing out 11 assists to his in-form teammates. But he might have been overshadowed tonight.
In one of Reaves’ best performances as a Laker (which is saying something since he has been phenomenal this season), he scored 38 points and shot a staggering 50% from the field, including 6 treys, to destroy the Mavericks. It was also Anthony Davis’ first game back from a 14-game absence, and because of his minutes restriction, he was only able to log 13 minutes, grab 5 rebounds, and at least got a standing ovation from the Lakers fans. Mavs fans will hope Davis can stay on the court for them going forward.
In the fourth quarter, Dallas took a small lead for a couple of minutes, but the Lakers quickly turned it around. The Mavericks went 4 minutes without scoring, and the Lakers went on a 13-1 run to build their lead that they never relinquished. The Lakers are looking to complete their NBA Cup games with a chance to reach the Semifinals. Let’s provide the player ratings for each player who hit the floor for them.
Austin Reaves: A+
Game Stats: 38 PTS, 8 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 12-15 FG, 6-8 3PT, 8-9 FT, 41 MIN
Austin Reaves was on absolute fire again as he has been all season, torching Dallas from every level of the floor. He made shots from everywhere. Six threes, drives through contact, and tons of self-created shots. He was also big when the game got tighter, scoring 19 in the second half and stabilizing the offense when Dallas made its push. Efficiency this high on this usage (80% from the field, 75% from three) is elite territory, cementing this as an A+ performance without a single debate. It won’t be often that Reaves will get the same or a higher score than Doncic, as well.
Luka Doncic: A+
Game Stats: 35 PTS, 5 REB, 11 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 10-18 FG, 4-9 3PT, 11-11 FT, 40 MIN
Luka Doncic was spectacular in the game, dropping a monster 35 points and 11 assists. He shot 56% from the field, got to the line and went perfect, and committed only four turnovers despite playing 40 minutes. His third meeting with Dallas showcased a near-perfect performance, but Reaves’ explosive scoring slightly overshadowed him. Still, we can’t knock Luka off from an A+ grade because the Slovenian put up another MVP-worthy performance.
Deandre Ayton: A
Game Stats: 17 PTS, 8 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 8-9 FG, 0-0 3PT, 1-2 FT, 36 MIN
Ayton played his most efficient offensive game as a Laker, missing only one shot and delivering major interior baskets during the decisive fourth-quarter run. He defended the rim well with two blocks and battled against the opposing bigs throughout the night. His combination of physicality and touch gave LA a consistent paint presence all night, and his +18 was the highest on the Lakers.
LeBron James: B+
Game Stats: 13 PTS, 5 REB, 7 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 5-13 FG, 2-6 3PT, 1-4 FT, 34 MIN
LeBron had a quiet first half with just two points, but made meaningful plays late, highlighted by a dagger three with two minutes left. His playmaking was still sharp as ever with seven assists, and he was the usual emotional and vocal leader. The shaky 1-for-4 at the line and slow scoring start prevent a higher grade, but he impacted winning, and we aren’t going to hold him accountable for still trying to get his legs under him.
Rui Hachimura: B+
Game Stats: 14 PTS, 4 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 5-13 FG, 4-8 3PT, 0-0 FT, 36 MIN
Hachimura’s perimeter shooting kept the floor spaced all night, hitting four threes on eight attempts. Though his overall shooting was streaky because he missed eight shots, he made timely baskets in the fourth quarter and provided solid defensive minutes against Dallas. With no turnovers and a +10, he deserves a B+ grade.
Jaxson Hayes: B-
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 3-4 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 12 MIN
Hayes provided solid finishing around the rim (3-4 FG) and a key block in limited minutes. His energy was helpful but the Lakers did not need him with Ayton playing so well. Still, he gave LA productive spot minutes.
Gabe Vincent: C+
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 0 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 2-3 FG, 2-3 3PT, 0-0 FT, 23 MIN
Vincent was solid on the floor in terms of energy and ball movement. He hit two threes and dished three assists without committing a turnover. For a Lakers team that relies on their backup floor generals, they will live with this performance from Vincent at any time.
Jake LaRavia: C-
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 2 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 14 MIN
LaRavia grabbed two rebounds but wasn’t impactful over 14 minutes. The Lakers didn’t need him offensively since Reaves and Doncic were on absolute fire, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be objective for LaRavia’s very average performance.
Maxi Kleber: N/A
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, 4 MIN
Kleber played only four minutes and didn’t log any major stats except for a steal. The limited run of minutes means we cannot give him a grade, however.
