Doncic helps rally Mavs to key win over Lakers
Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks reacts after scoring against the Los Angeles Lakers in the fourth quarter at American Airlines Center on April 24, 2021 in Dallas, Texas. Tom Pennington/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by TOM PENNINGTON / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Behind the nifty passing of Luka Doncic, the Dallas Mavericks executed a come-from-behind victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, 108-93, Saturday night at home.
The Mavericks trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half but leaned on Doncic to get the offense going in the second half.
Check the clock.
Get to the stepback.
Launch from distance.Luka Doncic works his magic late for the @dallasmavs in #PhantomCam! pic.twitter.com/2zFb9CgE7m
— NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2021
Defensively, the Lakers doubled and harassed Doncic all game, coaxing six turnovers out of the dynamic, 22-year-old swingman.
However, Dallas went to work offensively in the second half, with Doncic picking Los Angeles apart when the Lakers doubled him by finding wide open cutters to the basket. The Mavericks cut L.A.’s 12-point advantage to 79-all at the end of the third quarter.
The Mavericks then took over in the fourth, extending their lead to double digits points and closing it out down the stretch.
Doncic finished with 18 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds. Dwight Powell posted a game-high 25 points and nine rebounds. Dorian Finney-Smith totaled 21 points and seven rebounds for Dallas. Powell shot 11 of 12 from the floor.
With Kentavious Caldwell-Pope a late scratch due to a right ankle sprain, Ben McLemore got his first start as a Laker and carried the load early. McLemore went 6-for-10 from beyond the arc, finishing with 20 points as Los Angeles grabbed a 26-23 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Los Angeles shot just 12-for-45 (26.7 percent) from the 3-point line for the game.
In his second game back from a right calf strain that kept him out for 30 straight games, Anthony Davis looked more like his old self, finishing with 17 points, three rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes. However, Davis shot just 5-for-19 from the field.
Dennis Schroder finished with a double-double of 16 points and 10 assists. Kyle Kuzma added 14 points.
Center Kristaps Porzingis (left ankle sprain) and Josh Richardson (hamstring) did not play for Dallas.
With their second straight win over the Lakers, the Mavericks improved to 33-26 and are just 1 1/2 games behind the 35-25 Lakers, who hold the No. 5 seed. Dallas also owns the tiebreaker over Los Angeles by taking the season series 2-1.
