In Luka Doncic’s highly anticipated first game against Dallas since being traded to the Lakers, the Mavericks fell short in a 107-99 loss in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. Kyrie Irving led Dallas with 35 points, while Klay Thompson added 22, but the Mavericks couldn’t overcome a dominant fourth-quarter surge from LeBron James, who scored 16 of his 27 points in the final period for the Lakers.
Doncic, who was dealt to L.A. three weeks ago in a blockbuster trade for Anthony Davis, finished with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists, securing his first triple-double with the Lakers despite struggling with his shot (6 of 17). The emotional night featured a tribute video for Davis, who was sidelined with a groin injury but received a standing ovation from the Lakers’ crowd.
Max Christie, part of the trade package sent to Dallas, contributed 10 first-half points, but the Mavericks couldn’t capitalize on their early momentum. Los Angeles held on down the stretch, handing Dallas a tough loss as the team continues to adjust to life without Doncic. Despite a disappointing result, let’s provide a grade for every Mavericks player.
Kyrie Irving: A
Stats: 35 PTS, 7 REB (1 OREB, 6 DREB), 4 AST, 3 STL, 2 BLK, 4 TO, 1 PF, 12-27 FG, 5-11 3PT, 6-6 FT, -10, 40 MIN
Irving did everything he could to keep the Mavericks in the game, pouring in 35 points while also contributing seven rebounds, four assists, and a strong defensive effort with three steals and two blocks. He was aggressive throughout, knocking down five three-pointers and making all six of his free throws. However, his efficiency suffered (12-of-27 from the field), and his four turnovers proved costly. Despite his efforts, Dallas struggled to generate enough offensive support around him to counter the Lakers’ late surge.
Klay Thompson: B+
Stats: 22 PTS, 8 REB (5 OREB, 3 DREB), 1 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 1 PF, 8-17 FG, 5-10 3PT, 1-2 FT, -20, 30 MIN
Thompson had one of his better performances in a Mavericks uniform, scoring 22 points on 8-of-17 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds, including five on the offensive glass. His ability to stretch the floor with five three-pointers helped keep Dallas competitive, but his lack of playmaking (just one assist) and a team-worst -20 plus-minus highlighted his defensive struggles. While he provided solid scoring, his impact waned as the Lakers pulled away late.
Max Christie: C+
Stats: 10 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 6 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 2 PF, 4-13 FG, 2-4 3PT, 0-0 FT, -3, 37 MIN
Facing his former team for the first time since the trade, Christie had an uneven performance, scoring 10 points but struggling with his shot (4-of-13 from the field). He did showcase his passing ability with six assists, and his defensive energy was a plus, recording a block in his 37 minutes. While his scoring efficiency left much to be desired, he remained active and engaged, making small contributions across the board.
Naji Marshall: C+
Stats: 9 PTS, 5 REB (1 OREB, 4 DREB), 3 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO, 3 PF, 2-7 FG, 1-5 3PT, 4-4 FT, +9, 24 MIN
Marshall provided energy off the bench, finishing with nine points, five rebounds, and three assists while also contributing two steals and a block. He was aggressive in getting to the free-throw line (4-of-4), but his shooting struggles (2-of-7 from the field, 1-of-5 from deep) limited his offensive impact. Despite his inefficiency, he was one of the few Mavericks with a positive plus-minus (+9), showing his presence had a net-positive effect.
Spencer Dinwiddie: C+
Stats: 9 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 3 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 3-8 FG, 2-4 3PT, 1-1 FT, 0, 27 MIN
Dinwiddie had a quiet night offensively, scoring just nine points on 3-of-8 shooting. While he knocked down two three-pointers and had three assists, he wasn’t aggressive enough in looking for his shot or creating opportunities for others. His lack of turnovers was a positive, but his overall impact was minimal, as the Mavericks needed more from him in the playmaking department.
Dante Exum: C+
Stats: 8 PTS, 3 REB (0 OREB, 3 DREB), 1 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 3-9 FG, 2-7 3PT, 0-0 FT, +3, 11 MIN
Exum provided a brief scoring spark off the bench, finishing with eight points while hitting two three-pointers. However, his shooting was inconsistent (3-of-9 overall, 2-of-7 from three), and he didn’t contribute much outside of his scoring, registering just one assist and three rebounds in 11 minutes. While he had a positive plus-minus (+3), he didn’t make a significant enough impact to change the game’s outcome.
P.J. Washington: C+
Stats: 0 PTS, 10 REB (2 OREB, 8 DREB), 5 AST, 1 STL, 4 BLK, 3 TO, 2 PF, 0-9 FG, 0-2 3PT, 0-0 FT, -4, 35 MIN
Washington had a rough shooting night, failing to score a single point on 0-of-9 shooting, but he still found ways to contribute. He grabbed 10 rebounds, dished out five assists, and was a force defensively with four blocks. His energy on the defensive end was crucial, but his inability to hit shots hurt the Mavericks, as they needed every bit of offense to keep up with the Lakers down the stretch.
Kessler Edwards: C
Stats: 4 PTS, 3 REB (2 OREB, 1 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 2 PF, 2-5 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, -15, 13 MIN
Edwards had a quiet outing, scoring just four points in 13 minutes while grabbing three rebounds. He made two of his five shot attempts but missed his only three-point try. While he avoided turnovers and played within his role, he didn’t provide much impact on either end, finishing with a -15 plus-minus. His limited involvement made it hard for him to leave a mark on the game.
Dwight Powell: C
Stats: 2 PTS, 5 REB (3 OREB, 2 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 2 PF, 1-2 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -6, 16 MIN
Powell was active on the glass, pulling down five rebounds in 16 minutes, but his offensive involvement was minimal, scoring just two points on a single field goal attempt. He played his role as an interior presence and chipped in a block, but his impact was limited as Dallas struggled to contain the Lakers’ frontcourt. His -6 plus-minus reflected his struggles in keeping up with the Lakers’ physicality.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper: N/A
Stats: 0 PTS, 2 REB (0 OREB, 2 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 0 TO, 1 PF, 0-1 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, +6, 7 MIN
Prosper saw only seven minutes of action and had little opportunity to make an impact. He failed to score, missing his lone field-goal attempt, but grabbed two rebounds and registered a block. His +6 plus-minus suggests he was on the floor during a strong stretch for Dallas, but his limited playing time prevented him from making a meaningful contribution.
