Luka Doncic delivered another standout performance against his former team, scoring 33 points and dishing out 11 assists as the Los Angeles Lakers erased a 15-point deficit in the final seven minutes to beat the Dallas Mavericks 116–110 on Saturday night.
In his second visit to Dallas since being traded to Los Angeles nearly a year ago, Doncic improved to 4–0 against the Mavericks. LeBron James scored 11 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, igniting the comeback after a slow start. Rui Hachimura provided the decisive swing, converting a four-point play and then drilling another 3-pointer on the next possession to give the Lakers the lead for good.
Hachimura’s 3-pointer that made it 108–106 sparked an 11–2 run, which Doncic capped with a driving layup to stretch the lead to eight. The Slovenian star punctuated the moment by turning toward the Dallas bench and signaling that the game was over. Doncic finished a near-perfect night at the line, going 14 of 15 on free throws.
Max Christie, acquired by Dallas in the Doncic trade along with injured Anthony Davis, led the Mavericks with 24 points. Naji Marshall posted 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Brandon Williams added 20, but Dallas saw its season-best four-game winning streak come to an end.
The Mavericks appeared in full control after a dominant stretch spanning late in the third quarter and early in the fourth. Dallas outscored Los Angeles 41–14 during that span, turning a 13-point deficit into a 14-point lead. A 20–4 run opened the third quarter, and Williams scored eight points in a 10–2 spurt to close the period. The lead grew to 15 with less than seven minutes remaining before the Lakers stormed back.
Unlike his emotional return to Dallas last season, Doncic appeared unfazed this time, letting his play do the talking as Los Angeles closed with authority.
Up next:
Lakers visit Chicago on Monday, the midway point of their season-long eight-game road trip.
Mavericks travel to Milwaukee on Sunday.
