Quinten Grimes scored 23 points and the Dallas Mavericks to a 118-97 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, snapping a five-game losing streak. Grimes matched his career high with six 3-pointers, shooting 6-for-11 from beyond the arc. P.J. Washington added 22 points and eight rebounds for the Mavericks, who shot an impressive 52.3% from the field, including 18-of-38 from 3-point range.
The Mavericks secured the win despite missing stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Doncic has been sidelined since Dec. 25 with a left calf strain, while Irving missed his second straight game due to a bulging disk in his back. Their absence didn’t hinder Dallas, as the bench stepped up, outscoring the Lakers reserves 50-25, with 38 combined points from Grimes and Jaden Hardy.
Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 21 points and 12 rebounds, while LeBron James contributed 18 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. However, Los Angeles struggled from 3-point range, hitting just 11-of-35 attempts, and was outrebounded 44-33.
A pivotal moment came late in the first half when Dallas closed on an 11-0 run to take a five-point lead into halftime. The Mavericks carried that momentum into the third quarter, extending their advantage to 16 points with three minutes remaining in the period. Los Angeles, trailing by as many as 21 points, couldn’t mount a comeback.
For the Lakers, the loss marked their second straight defeat and third in their last five games, and let’s provide a grade for every player wearing Purple and Gold.
LeBron James: B+
Stats: 18 PTS, 10 REB (0 OREB, 10 DREB), 8 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 0 PF, 6-12 FG, 1-4 3PT, 5-6 FT, -12, 35 MIN
LeBron flirted with a triple-double, contributing 18 points, 10 rebounds (all defensive), and 8 assists in 35 minutes. His efficiency (6-for-12 FG, 5-of-6 FT) and poise in orchestrating the offense stood out, but he struggled to take over the game when it mattered most. His 1-for-4 shooting from three and a -12 plus-minus reflected the team’s overall struggles.
Anthony Davis: B
Stats: 21 PTS, 12 REB (2 OREB, 10 DREB), 3 AST, 0 STL, 2 BLK, 2 TO, 1 PF, 7-18 FG, 0-2 3PT, 7-9 FT, -19, 35 MIN
Anthony Davis led the Lakers in scoring and rebounding with 21 points and 12 boards. While his defensive presence was solid with 2 blocks, his offensive inefficiency (7-for-18 FG) and inability to dominate in the paint against a depleted Mavericks team were disappointing. His -19 plus-minus highlighted his limited impact on turning the game around.
Austin Reaves: C+
Stats: 15 PTS, 2 REB (0 OREB, 2 DREB), 1 AST, 3 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 1 PF, 5-14 FG, 4-11 3PT, 1-2 FT, -25, 32 MIN
Austin Reaves scored 15 points and showcased his hustle with 3 steals, but his shooting woes (5-for-14 FG, 4-for-11 3PT) hurt the Lakers in critical stretches. His defensive lapses and -25 plus-minus demonstrated his struggles to contain Dallas’s perimeter attack and maintain consistency on both ends of the court.
Max Christie: C+
Stats: 12 PTS, 1 REB (1 OREB, 0 DREB), 3 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO, 2 PF, 5-9 FG, 1-4 3PT, 1-1 FT, -22, 30 MIN
Max Christie chipped in 12 points on an efficient 5-for-9 shooting but contributed little on the boards with just one rebound. His 3 assists and a block were helpful, but his two turnovers and defensive lapses contributed to his -22 plus-minus, underscoring a mixed performance.
Dorian Finney-Smith: C+
Stats: 11 PTS, 3 REB (0 OREB, 3 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 1 PF, 3-4 FG, 3-4 3PT, 2-2 FT, +3, 28 MIN
Dorian Finney-Smith was efficient offensively, scoring 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 from deep. However, his limited contributions in rebounds (3) and lack of defensive impact, coupled with his inability to generate assists, made his performance solid but unspectacular.
Dalton Knecht: C+
Stats: 13 PTS, 0 REB (0 OREB, 0 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 1 PF, 5-8 FG, 2-5 3PT, 1-2 FT, -8, 16 MIN
Dalton Knecht provided a spark off the bench with 13 points in just 16 minutes, shooting 5-of-8 from the field and 2-of-5 from three. Despite his scoring, he was a non-factor in other areas (0 rebounds, 0 assists), and his -8 plus-minus reflected his defensive limitations.
Rui Hachimura: C
Stats: 6 PTS, 1 REB (1 OREB, 0 DREB), 2 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 2 PF, 3-5 FG, 0-2 3PT, 0-0 FT, -8, 26 MIN
Hachimura added 6 points on 3-of-5 shooting and grabbed 1 rebound in 26 minutes. His effort on defense was evident with 1 steal, but he struggled to leave a significant mark on the game. His lack of aggression on the boards and inability to stretch the floor (0-for-2 from three) were notable shortcomings.
Jaxson Hayes: C
Stats: 1 PTS, 3 REB (1 OREB, 2 DREB), 1 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 0 TO, 4 PF, 0-1 FG, 0-0 3PT, 1-2 FT, -5, 12 MIN
Hayes had a quiet outing with just 1 point, 3 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 12 minutes. While he made some defensive contributions, his 0-for-1 shooting and 4 personal fouls limited his effectiveness. His impact was minimal in a game where the Lakers needed more from their role players.
Gabe Vincent: D
Stats: 0 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 2 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 1 PF, 0-4 FG, 0-3 3PT, 0-0 FT, -5, 24 MIN
Vincent had a forgettable performance, going scoreless on 0-for-4 shooting in 24 minutes. He managed only 1 rebound and 2 assists, failing to make a positive impact on either end of the court. His -5 plus-minus and inability to provide a scoring punch contributed to the team’s struggles.
Bronny James: N/A
Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB (0 OREB, 0 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -4, 1 MIN
Bronny played just 1 minute at the end of the game, logging no statistics. His appearance was too brief to assess his performance meaningfully.
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