It was an emotional scene in Dallas tonight as former Mavericks star Luka Doncic returned to the American Airlines Center for the first time since becoming a Laker. With the 10th seed already secured, this game was of minimal importance for the Dallas Mavericks, but it meant everything for the Los Angeles Lakers, who are fighting to keep their position in the standings.
After suffering a 16-point loss to the Thunder last night, the Lakers came out with full urgency for tonight’s contest, and it paid off with a resounding victory. Looking at the box score, it was a pretty tight race for the entire game, with both teams trading points through three quarters. It wasn’t until the final 12 minutes that the Lakers finally pulled away, winning the quarter by 9 points to secure the double-digit win (112-97).
Luka was the star of the show with 45 points, eight rebounds, and six assists per game on 57.1% shooting. LeBron James dropped 27 points, seven rebounds, and three assists on 55% shooting. Rui Hachimura dropped 15 points, two rebounds, and two assists on 50% shooting.
For the Mavericks, Naji Marshall was the leading scorer with 23 points, four rebounds, and eight assists on 64.3% shooting. Anthony Davis dropped 13 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists while Klay Thompson contributed six points, two rebounds, and one assist on 28.6% shooting from three.
The Mavs dedicated a whole video tribute to Doncic before the game, and he was very emotional while reflecting on his history with the franchise. Fortunately for the Lakers, he channeled his frustration and anger into production on the court that helped Los Angeles secure their 49th win of the season.
Luka Doncic Heat Check
It’s rare for an NBA superstar of Luka’s caliber to get traded mid-season without asking out. This season, Doncic joined the exclusive club, and he’s been trying to make them regret it ever since.
In tonight’s statement performance, Luka dropped 45 points, eight rebounds, and six assists per game on 57.1% shooting. He was +26 in 38 minutes with four steals on 70% shooting from downtown.
When Doncic plays like he did today, the Lakers are a tough team to beat. He was on a mission tonight and was more aggressive than he’s been in all of his previous Lakers games. If he can carry this momentum into the playoffs, it will be a great boost for the Purple and Gold.
Lakers’ Defense Controlled The Game
The Mavericks couldn’t cross 100 points in this game, and the Lakers’ defense deserves some credit. While Dallas shot an impressive 50% from the field tonight, they only had 72 shot attempts, compared to the Lakers, who went 42-90 from the field.
By applying pressure on the wing and playing the passing lanes, LA totaled 14 steals, of which Doncic alone had four. By the final buzzer, the Mavericks were up to 19 turnovers, which turned into 25 points for the Lake Show.
Anthony Davis is the focal point of the Mavericks’ offense right now, but he was off in this game with just 13 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. The Lakers knew just how to guard him (Dorian Finney-Smith), and it resulted in an abysmal 38.5% shooting record.
LeBron James Delivered In The Clutch
The final score wasn’t even close, but the game was within six points with less than five minutes to go. The Mavericks were itching to make a comeback, but LeBron James stepped up down the stretch to ensure it couldn’t happen.
In the final 12 minutes, he dropped 13 points and three rebounds on 6-10 shooting. He was +9 for the Lakers and sparked a late-game run that put them up 15 by the final buzzer.
LeBron has been playing elite basketball all season, so it’s only right that he put on another excellent performance on a night when they desperately needed the boost. With all the pressure on Luka Doncic, James made sure to step up and help him make a statement against his former team.
With just three more games on the schedule, the Lakers are looking good to secure a top-six seed in the West. Still, if they want to avoid falling any further in the standings, they’ll need to carry this momentum to close out the season and win out these last few games.
