The Los Angeles Lakers (51-30) clinched a playoff spot with a 112-97 win over the Dallas Mavericks (38-42) on Wednesday, April 9, behind a 45-point performance from Luka Doncic in his emotional return to Dallas.
Doncic, traded from the Mavericks to the Lakers in February, matched his season high with 45 points while adding eight rebounds, six assists, and four steals. It was his first game back at American Airlines Center since the blockbuster deal that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas.
LeBron James finished with 27 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, to help the Lakers pull away late. His three-point play with 8:10 left snapped an 87-87 tie and sparked a run that sealed the win. James also passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for second place on the NBA’s all-time games played list, appearing in his 1,561st regular-season contest.
Davis had 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Mavericks in his first game against his former team, while Naji Marshall led Dallas with 23 points and eight assists.
The Mavericks, one year removed from a Finals appearance, are now guaranteed a losing season but remain in contention for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference.
The Lakers stay in third place in the West after winning two of three on a tough road stretch that included back-to-back games at Oklahoma City. Dallas has now dropped four of its last five.
The Mavericks host the Toronto Raptors on Friday, April 11, while the Lakers return home to face the Houston Rockets that same night.
