Tuesday night’s Lakers–Mavericksmatchup had all the ingredients of a must-watch game. A packed crowd, two Western Conference contenders, and one major storyline: Luka Doncic facing his former team for the first time. If there were any lingering emotions about his departure, Doncic didn’t show them-at least not in a way that hurt the Lakers. Instead, he let his game do the talking, recording a triple-double and helping L.A. secure a hard-fought 107-99 victory.
The Lakers started hot, feeding off the energy in the building. Doncic missed his first shot, but moments later, he got an easy layup to get himself going. The referees let some contact slide on the next possession, leading to an early technical foul for Doncic, a moment that only seemed to fuel him more. Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving wasted no time for Dallas, dropping 10 quick points to briefly give the Mavericks the lead.
That didn’t last long. Doncic drilled back-to-back threes, turning toward the Dallas bench with some extra fire. By the end of the first quarter, he had nine points, seven rebounds, and four assists-already making an impact across the board. With Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht chipping in, the Lakers built a comfortable lead heading into halftime, up 59-51.
But Dallas wasn’t going away quietly. The third quarter belonged to the Mavericks, with Irving, Klay Thompson, and Spencer Dinwiddie connecting from deep. The Lakers’ offense stalled, managing just 19 points in the period. Suddenly, what once looked like a comfortable lead was a one-point game heading into the fourth, with L.A. clinging to a 78-77 advantage.
LeBron takes over, Luka delivers the final blow
That’s when LeBron James took over. After a quiet first three quarters, he kicked off the final period with a smooth fadeaway, then followed it up with two more buckets and a dime. But just as the Lakers looked to pull away, Thompson hit back-to-back threes for Dallas, tying the game at 88. The momentum was swinging, and the game was up for grabs.
Doncic stepped in at the perfect time. He found LeBron for a clutch three-pointer-securing his triple-double in the process-and from there, James closed the game out in dominant fashion. He dropped 16 points in the fourth quarter alone, including a monster dunk that put L.A. up for good. Doncic finished with 19 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals, and two blocks-stuffing the stat sheet in a win that felt personal.
For the Lakers, this game wasn’t just about beating Dallas-it was about proving that their new-look lineup can contend with the best. Doncic’s transition to L.A. seems to be clicking, and the chemistry between him and LeBron is already showing flashes of something special. But there’s no time to celebrate just yet. The Lakers have a brutal back-to-back ahead, with the Timberwolves and Clippers waiting in the wings.
The Western Conference race is heating up, and if this game was any indication, the Lakers are ready to make some noise.
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