DALLAS — Since shockingly being traded to Los Angeles nearly a year ago, Lakers star Luka Dončić didn’t know what losing a basketball game to the Mavericks felt like.
And he still doesn’t.
The Lakers beat the Mavericks 116-110 on Saturday night at American Airlines Center in Dončić’s second game back in Dallas, and fourth matchup against his former team since the franchise traded him Feb. 2, 2025.
For a significant part of the second half, it looked like the Lakers were on the path to losing their first game against the Mavericks since acquiring Dončić.
The Mavericks’ dominant third quarter, which they won 35-14, gave them an 87-79 lead going into the fourth. And a strong start to the quarter for Dallas gave the Mavericks a 93-79 advantage.
But the Lakers, like they have in the last three games, unlocked a different gear late in the game, outscoring the Mavericks 29-8 in the final 7 ½ minutes, helping Dončić’s remain undefeated (4-0) against his former team.
Dončić, as he does most nights, led the Lakers with 33 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds.
But it was the late-game energetic plays from Marcus Smart (13 points, seven rebounds and three assists) that shifted the momentum to the Lakers.
And a pair of late 3-pointers from Rui Hachimura (17 points) — including one he got fouled on — gave the Lakers their first lead, 108-106, since midway through the third quarter.
Smart helped the Lakers maintain momentum with a putback layup after a missed Hachimura 3 with 1:40 left, putting the Lakers up 110-107.
LeBron James (17 points, eight rebounds and five assists) had another putback layup with 1:30 left to give the Lakers a 112-107 lead. The Lakers led by at least five points the rest of the way.
What does it mean?
From a standings standpoint, the Lakers (27-17) stay at No. 5 in the crowded Western Conference.
And from a rhythm standpoint, it helps gives the Lakers a shot to stack wins after losing five of their last eight.
The Lakers are 12-13 since Dec. 1, only going on a three-game winning streak once since November ended, but have won three of their last four.
Turning point
When Lakers Coach JJ Redick went with a small-ball lineup of Dončić, Smart, James, Hachimura and Jake LaRavia for the final 9:38 of the game after Hachimura subbed in for Deandre Ayton, who struggled scoring with 9 points on 4-of-16 shooting to go with 11 rebounds.
The Lakers outscored Dallas 36-17 behind their small-ball unit.
MVP: Luka Dončić
Dončić not only led the Lakers in scoring, but individually got six straight stops in the fourth as part of the Lakers’ defensive turnaround.
“Just a fantastic job from him,” Redick said of Dončić. Then makes sort-of the game-sealing defensive play with the charge on [Naji] Marshall. He was fantastic in the fourth quarter. Just picked apart their defense down the stretch.”
Stat of the game: 10 possessions
That’s how many possessions — a near six-minute stretch — in which the Lakers went without scoring in the third, helping Dallas go on a 16-0 run to take a 72-69 lead.
Up next
The Lakers’ eight-game Grammy trip continues with a matchup against the Bulls in Chicago on Monday at 5 p.m.
It’ll be the Lakers’ first matchup against an Eastern Conference team on the road since they beat the Philadelphia 76ers on Dec. 7 at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The Lakers have played five of their 14 games road games against Eastern Conference foes so far, going 3-2.
