A brilliant opening period from Luka Dončić in his comeback game against Dallas aided the team
Lakers
defeat the Mavericks and secure their first playoff spot since 2020 on Wednesday with an 112-97 victory.
Luka Dončić scored 31 of his 45 points in the first half. LeBron James had 27 points, most of those coming in a strong fourth quarter, to go with his seven rebounds and three assists. Austin Reaves had a quiet night with 11 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Rui Hachimura tallied 15 points with a 3-for-7 effort from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Dorian Finney-Smith contributed five points along with five assists.
Feelings ran strong as the match began with Mavericks supporters enthusiastically supporting whenever Luka got possession of the ball. The Lakers struggled with some easy opportunities and their gameplay appeared rushed and disorganized.
Eventually, LA adjusted to Luka’s dominant performance where he led the team with seven points. The game then became competitive with both teams trading leads, and when they called the first timeout, the Mavericks held a slim two-point advantage.
Naji Marshall and Dereck Lively II contributed 11 out of Dallas' initial 24 points. However, Anthony Davis, who is a champion with the Lakers and familiar to them, had only managed to score two points so far for the Mavericks.
Luka found solace with his long-range shooting, making three out of his initial four attempts from beyond the arc.
In Los Angeles' offensive struggles, they managed only a 38% field goal percentage collectively. The team started poorly in the opening period, with two turnovers that allowed the Mavericks to take a lead of four points.
In the second quarter, Vando kicked things off with some tenacious defense. He intercepted the ball and swiftly passed it to LeBron for a smooth layup. Following this, Dorian delivered a remarkable assist to Vando, who completed an exhilarating slam dunk.
The play that got everybody roaring was when Austin tossed a lob to LeBron for the emphatic slam.
When Luka returned to the court, he promptly scored four consecutive points to even the score. Following his theft, he passed the ball to Dorian, who attempted a three-pointer from deep. Although Dorian’s shot fell short, Austin rushed in for an electrifying follow-up slam that left everybody stunned.
The Lakers had run off eight consecutive points when former acquaintance Max Christie sank a three-pointer. The Mavericks then responded with a swift four-point spurt, which injected new energy into their play.
Luka subsequently tallied five consecutive points, aiding in halting that brief surge. Meanwhile, Marshall kept up his impressive shooting for Dallas, amassing a total of 15 points. By the half’s end, the team clad in purple and gold led by a margin of three points.
In the second half, Los Angeles began struggling with their shooting and played at a much slower pace until they eventually perked up when Luka scored four consecutive points. Following a three-point shot by Rui, the Lakers' lead had grown to nine points.
Los Angeles' defense against Anthony Davis was stifling. They consistently doubled teamed him, which led to poor passes and turnovers. Following a Mavericks timeout, Marshall hit a jump shot, helping to stem their losing streak.
LeBron added four points and Rui contributed five more, which helped maintain Los Angeles' advantage. Their substantial 13-point lead had dwindled to just seven as Dallas mounted a rally with about three minutes remaining in the period.
Until Luka sank a floating shot, the Lakers had gone without points for three minutes. Despite the Mavericks mounting several attempts to narrow their substantial lead, Los Angeles managed to maintain control. By the close of the quarter, the Lakers held onto a seven-point advantage.
The concluding period started poorly for the Lakers since they missed their initial shot, allowing the Mavericks to score six consecutive points. With a dunk by Christie, Dallas grabbed the lead by one point. In response, LeBron made a layup to reclaim the lead for Los Angeles.
A persistent weakness for Los Angeles has always been turnovers. These mistakes have been haunting them, with the Mavericks capitalizing on every opportunity. After a three-point shot by ex-Splash Brother Klay Thompson following another turnover, Dallas forced Los Angeles to call a timeout.
Coming out of the timeout, Rui hit a jump shot near the basket. Following an 9-0 surge by the Lakers, PJ Washington consecutive scoring streak amounted to six points for Dallas.
It was of no consequence, however, since Los Angeles maintained pressure with LeBron leading the offensive charge. He managed to score several tough layups despite the presence of numerous Mavericks defenders.
In the final moments of the game, Luka dominated with seven points, accompanied by continuous cheers from both his teammates and the Dallas supporters.
Key Takeaways:
Having Luka take over in the first half and LeBron taking charge in the second half is quite an amazing advantage. We're grinning from ear to ear, unable to fathom that this is really our reality.
Groups with size could pose significant challenges for the Lakers, but when they tighten their defense and play suffocatingly, they manage to navigate these problems effectively, just like we've observed.
The Lakers' upcoming game will be versus the
Houston Rockets
On Friday at 7:30 PM Pacific Time.
You can follow Karin on Twitter there.
@KarinAbcarians
.
