Coming off a tough loss to the L.A. Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers continued their road trip and found themselves in a primetime matchup against the Dallas Mavericks.
Every Lakers-Mavericks matchup will be appointment viewing, especially back in Dallas, as Luka Doncic’s return remains a sore spot for their fans. Doncic entered the game undefeated against his former squad, but picking up another win would be tough as the Mavericks were riding a four-game winning streak.
For a while, it looked like the Lakers were heading toward another disappointing loss as they fell behind by double digits in the second half. The third quarter has been Los Angeles’ Achilles heel, and the issue reared its head again as the team was outscored 35-14 in the period.
However, the purple and gold launched a fourth-quarter comeback that really grew in momentum after a flurry of clutch baskets. Thanks to some timely defensive stops, the Lakers were able to come all the way back to
beat the Mavericks 116-110.
Doncic is used to getting L.A.’s offense started in the first quarter, and that was no different against Dallas as he picked their defense apart over and over. Doncic wasn’t afraid to dish out to open teammates when the Mavericks sent extra help his way, but he also found it relatively easy to get into the painted area.
While Doncic slowed down later in the game, he came up big when it mattered most with timely buckets and assists. Doncic led the Lakers in scoring with 33 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field and a near-perfect 14-of-15 showing from the free-throw line. He also had 11 assists, eight rebounds, one steal and one block.
Rui Hachimura has taken well to his new role off the bench so far, providing a much-needed scoring punch. Hachimura took advantage of his open looks with an efficient shooting night, though he saved his best for last as he hit a couple of clutch 3-pointers to put Los Angeles up late.
Hachimura’s crunch-time heroics were much-needed, and he ended the night with 17 points and eight rebounds.
Marcus Smart was a massive factor in the win, and his tenacity on both ends of the court sparked the run. Smart finished the night with 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
What’s next for the Lakers
The Lakers will continue their road trip on Monday against the Chicago Bulls before seeing the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
