Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic reacts after Austin Reaves’ 3-point basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Luka Doncic scored 19 points with 15 rebounds and 12 assists against his former team three weeks after a blockbuster trade and the Los Angeles Lakers pulled out a 107-99 victory over the visiting Dallas Mavericks in the NBA on Tuesday night.
LeBron James scored 27 points with 12 rebounds, Austin Reaves added 20 points and Rui Hachimura had 15 as the Lakers improved to 3-2 with Doncic on the court. Los Angeles won its third consecutive game and improved to 13-3 since Jan. 21.
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Doncic delivered his first triple-double with the Lakers, his fourth of the season and the 81st of his career to only heighten the sentiment of an unpopular trade in Dallas.
“It was just a lot of emotions I was feeling,” Doncic said. “I can’t even explain. It was a different game. Sometimes, I don’t know what I was doing. I’m just glad it’s over, honestly.”
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and guard Luka Doncic (77) shake hands during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Kyrie Irving scored 35 points and Klay Thompson added 11 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter for the Mavericks, who dropped to 5-6 since Jan. 31. Max Christie, who was part of the package from the Lakers for Doncic, added 10 points in his ninth game with Dallas.
Anthony Davis (abdomen), the key component in the trade package from the Lakers, did not play for the ninth time in 10 games since the deal became official. Dallas also was without fellow big men Daniel Gafford (knee) and Dereck Lively II (ankle).
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Active in the early going, Doncic was 3 of 7 from the floor with nine points, seven rebounds and a technical foul in the first quarter. He had 12 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocked shots by halftime when the Lakers held a 59-51 lead after leading by as many as 16.
The Mavericks got back in the game by closing the first half on a 12-4 run and then held the Lakers to 19 points in the third quarter as Los Angeles went into the fourth with a 78-77 advantage.
Dallas was even at 91-91 with 6:17 remaining before Los Angeles took control. The Lakers turned a 9-2 run into a 105-96 lead with 1:05 left after a Hachimura layup. Hachimura scored five points in the decisive run.
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Doncic finished 6 of 17 from the floor, 1 of 7 from 3-point range and had three steals with his two early blocks. –Field Level Media
