The LA Lakers suffered their only third defeat of the season to the Dallas Mavericks who have been inspired by a very resilient Luka Doncic.
Luka Doncic scored 21 of his 27 points in an emphatic second half as the Dallas Mavericks sank the Los Angeles Lakers’ 10-game winning streak with a 114-100 victory on Sunday.
Doncic also had 10 assists and nine rebounds, and Delon Wright had 17 points and nine assists in the Mavericks’ seventh victory in eight games while Kristaps Porzingis added 15 points.
Having beaten the LA Lakers who came into the game having only lost twice so far in the season, the Dallas Mavricks have suddenly positioned themselves as likely title contenders in the NBA.
LeBron James had 25 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Lakers, who dropped to 17-3 by losing this match-up between two of the NBA‘s highest-scoring teams. Anthony Davis had 27 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, whose longest winning streak in 10 years ended with their largest defeat of the young season.
LA Lakers lose to mighty Dallas Mavericks at home ground.
The Mavericks erased a half-time deficit with a 28-5 run to open the third quarter, shredding the Lakers’ usually solid defence. Dallas’ decisive rally was led by a majestic quarter from Doncic, who had 16 points and five assists in the third after going two for nine in the first half.
Los Angeles had won six straight games against Dallas, but neither team much resembles the rosters that played the last few seasons in these jerseys.
After a year of impressive moves by both franchises, the Mavericks and Lakers are positioned to be back among the NBA’s most elite franchises.
Exactly one month after the Lakers earned an overtime victory in Dallas, the Mavericks responded with an impressive all-around effort at Staples Center.
After a close first half, Dallas jumped to a 20-point lead late in the third and comfortably maintained it in the fourth, with Doncic providing some showmanship by hitting his fourth 3-pointer and then staring at Mavs great Dirk Nowitzki, who was watching at courtside.
The Lakers’ revamped roster just completed one of the best months in franchise history, going 14-1 in November while soaring to the top of the NBA standings. Davis and James have meshed seamlessly, while their supporting cast has embraced new coach Frank Vogel’s commitment to defense.
But the Lakers’ schedule gets much tougher in December, starting with this showdown and a three-game road trip in the upcoming week to Denver, Utah and Portland. James and Davis both expect to know more about their roster by January, and this opening game underlined the importance of a consistent effort, particularly on defense.
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