Image Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Mavericks vs Lakers: Luka Doncic gets his revenge against Mavericks on emotional night, leads Lakers to a 107-99 win

The LA Lakers recorded their third straight win by beating Mavericks 107-99.

Image Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers (35-21) defeated the Dallas Mavericks (31-28) by 107-99 in a game held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Tuesday (25). The match marked the first reunion of Luka Doncic with his former team since the trade, and the point guard played a great game alongside LeBron James, securing the Lakers’ third consecutive win of the season.

Doncic played for 35 minutes, finishing the game with a triple-double of 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists. He also recorded a shooting efficiency of 6/17 from the field, three steals, and two blocks. With these numbers, the Slovenian now has at least one triple-double against every team in the NBA during his career (including regular season and playoffs).

THE BEHIND THE HEAD DIME FROM LUKA 😱

Reaves the recipient who SPLASHES the 3! pic.twitter.com/nAmulERC6v
— NBA (@NBA) February 26, 2025

In addition to Doncic, LeBron James also made an important contribution with 27 points on 11/17 shooting, 12 rebounds, and one steal. The “King” had a standout performance in the final moments of the game, adding speed to the Lakers’ offense and scoring 16 points in the last 12 minutes of the fourth quarter.

Other Highlights

For the Lakers, Austin Reaves had a solid game with 20 points and five assists. Rui Hachimura contributed with 15 points and six rebounds. Jaxson Hayes and Jarred Vanderbilt, who were key on defense, each scored eight points.

Anthony Davis, who is recovering from an adductor muscle injury, was sidelined for the game that would have marked his reunion with the Los Angeles fans. In his absence, Kyrie Irving was the top performer for the Mavericks, finishing with 35 points, five three-pointers, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks.

Tribute in Los Angeles for Anthony Davis 🙏

LeBron clapping it up for his guy 👏 pic.twitter.com/PzFVQhrwkW
— NBA (@NBA) February 26, 2025

Klay Thompson, who also had some important moments to keep the team in the game, scored 22 points with five three-pointers, eight rebounds, one steal, and one block. Another player involved in the trade between Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis, Max Christie added 10 points and six assists for the Mavericks.

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Upcoming Games

With their third consecutive victory, Los Angeles is starting to establish a solid streak with Doncic in the lineup. The team, currently in fourth place in the West with a record of 35 wins and 21 losses, will play again on Thursday (27) against the Minnesota Timberwolves at home.

Meanwhile, Dallas continues to fight against injuries while trying to stay in the race for a direct playoff spot. The team is currently in ninth place in the conference with a record of 31 wins and 28 losses, one game behind the Los Angeles Clippers in sixth place. The Texas franchise will also be back on the court on Thursday (27), facing the Charlotte Hornets at the American Airlines Center.

Lakers vs Mavericks: The Game

First Half

After a favorable start for the Lakers, Kyrie Irving entered the game and scored ten of the Mavericks’ first 14 points, leading the team to a 14-13 advantage. However, Luka responded with two consecutive three-pointers and put the Lakers back in front, 19-14, while staring down the bench of his former team.

Los Angeles’ defense also stepped up in the final minutes of the period, allowing the team to finish the first quarter with a 28-20 lead.

In the second quarter, Dallas increased its tempo and closed the gap, reducing the Lakers’ lead to 42-36. However, the Lakers responded with a 13-3 run, once again driven by Luka Doncic, who extended the lead to 55-39. On the other hand, Max Christie had a strong finish to the period, helping Dallas reduce the deficit. The game went into halftime with the Lakers leading 59-51.

Second Half

Max Christie’s strong finish in the second quarter helped Dallas maintain a balanced game throughout the third quarter. The Mavericks improved their perimeter defense, limiting the Lakers to just one successful shot out of their first seven three-point attempts (1/7). Meanwhile, Spencer Dinwiddie and Kyrie Irving hit three-pointers in an 8-2 run that cut the Lakers’ lead to 70-67.

Dallas kept pressing, but the momentum wasn’t enough to complete the comeback. The quarter ended with a 26-19 advantage for the Mavericks, but the Lakers still held a slim lead, 78-77.

In the final quarter, Klay Thompson shone, hitting three consecutive three-pointers to tie the game at 88-88. However, Luka Doncic took control once again, first with a layup and then by finding LeBron for a dunk that gave the Lakers a 96-91 lead.

🌟 LEBRON/LUKA LEAD LAL 🌟

Bron: 27 PTS (16 in 4Q), 12 REB, 11-17 FGM
Luka: 19 PTS, 15 REB, 12 AST, 3 STL, 2 BLK

The @Lakers are 4th in the West as they improve to 8-2 in their last 10 games! pic.twitter.com/WuZuHGzGJX
— NBA (@NBA) February 26, 2025

From that point on, LeBron completely took over the game, dominating offensively and scoring 16 points in the last 12 minutes. With him leading the charge, the Lakers secured the win comfortably, closing the game at 107-99.