The Dallas Mavericks began a two-game homestand starting with the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. The game was full of emotion due to Luka Doncic’s return to Dallas since the February trade to LA. Doncic’s trade has been a talking point. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently said on “First Take” that the Mavericks not getting Austin Reaves in that trade was malpractice.
The Mavericks’ lost weekend in Inglewood, California, affected their playoff chances. Mavericks Head Coach Jason Kidd and his staff changed their strategies. The Mavericks will convert Brandon Williams’ two-way contract into a standard one, agents Derek Lafayette and Fess Irvin of Skyward Sports told ESPN.
The Mavericks lost to the Lakers 112-97 at the American Airlines Center. Dallas fell to 38-42, while LA improved to 49-31. Naji Marshall led the Mavericks with 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists. PJ Washington Jr. followed up with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. Anthony Davis added 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists. Max Christie had 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists. Daniel Gafford scored 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers Recap
The Dallas Mavericks ruled out Jaden Hardy with a right ankle sprain, Kyrie Irving with a torn ACL in his left knee, and Olivier-Maxence Prosper with a right wrist sprain. The Mavericks’ starting lineup featured Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, PJ Washington Jr., Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II.
The Los Angeles Lakers ruled out Maxi Kleber with a broken right foot but announced on April 3 that Kleber, 33, progressed to on-court activities. The Lakers’ starting lineup featured Rui Hachimura, LeBron James, Jaxson Hayes, Austin Reaves, and Luka Doncic. Doncic, 26, teared up during his tribute video.
Just hours before tip-off, Gametime revealed the updated ticket price information, with the lowest-cost tickets at $281 each, including taxes and fees, and the top tickets going for $6,869 per seat. The first quarter was a high-scoring affair. LeBron James achieved the second-most games played in NBA history and Max Christie evaded the defense to drive the ball to the goal. The Mavericks led 30-26 after the first quarter.
The second quarter shifted in favor of the Lakers, despite the Mavericks’ attempts. Gafford dished out assists to his teammates while Doncic finished the first half with 31 points, along with 3 rebounds and 3 assists. The Lakers settled for a 60-57 lead at the halftime break.
The third quarter saw a slow start, but both teams picked up the pace. The Mavericks welcomed back Markieff Morris, also known as “Smooth” for his low-pitched, baritone voice. Rui Hachimura hit a three-pointer to make it a 9-0 run for the Lakers. The Lakers took an 83-76 lead after three quarters.
The fourth quarter witnessed the Mavericks’ fast start, an 8-0 run, in the opening minutes. The Lakers ended the Mavericks’ run with a 2-point field goal. Christie converted defense into offense, while James drove for a tough bucket. The Lakers won 112-97 in regulation.
Mavericks vs. Lakers Highlights
The Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers game featured multiple highlights, such as Anthony Davis opening up about how playing for the Mavericks has been easier for him compared to the Lakers. Davis was often playing center, a position he never really liked, for most of his Lakers tenure. Now, with the Mavericks, Davis succeeds at power forward, thanks to Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford as centers.
For the Mavericks, Kidd sent a message to Davis and Klay Thompson as the pair are arguably the team’s most important players. In a postgame press conference, Kidd told reporters, “It can become seamless when you have a skill set like AD’s ability to dribble and DHO, play-make … Also, Klay being able to run off screens off of AD or vice versa.”
For the Lakers, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons shared some concerns about Doncic. Doncic’s subpar 19-point performance has drawn criticism from Simmons, one of the most prominent NBA reporters. Simmons said that Doncic seemed “out of it,” while adding that he “wasn’t upset with anyone.” Simmons said of Doncic’s defense, “Defensively, it’s still not good.”
Final Thoughts
Despite Davis’ return, the Dallas Mavericks were trounced by the Los Angeles Clippers, 135-104, in the second of back-to-back games at the Intuit Dome on Saturday. The Clippers put the Mavericks’ playoff talks on hold for the time being. Davis’ 16 first-half points kept the Clippers at bay, but the Clippers’ third-quarter scoring blew open the game and cruised to a victory.
Kidd headed to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame for the second time on Saturday. Already enshrined in Springfield, Massachusetts, Kidd joined the 2008 US Men’s Basketball Team in the Class of 2025 that day. Kidd served as one of the veteran voices while James, Kobe Bryant, and a younger group did most of the heavy lifting.
The Mavericks will welcome the Toronto Raptors to the American Airlines Center on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Central. The Raptors signed G League Forward Cole Swider, who has played for the Motor City Cruise and South Bay Lakers, for the rest of the 2024-25 NBA season. Swider has been averaging 6.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 17.8 minutes in six games with the Raptors after signing a 10-day contract.
