Just weeks after a historic trade sent Luka Dončić to Los Angeles, the Lakers secured a hard-fought 107-99 victory over the Mavericks in his first game against his former team. Dončić delivered a triple-double with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only Lakers since 1973-74 to post 15+ points, 15+ rebounds, 10+ assists, 3+ steals, and 2+ blocks in a game.
The Lakers controlled the first half, leading by as many as 16, but the Mavericks surged back in the third quarter. Klay Thompson’s three quick triples tied the game in the fourth, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
LeBron James took over late, scoring 16 of his 27 points in the final frame, while Austin Reaves (20 points) and Rui Hachimura (15 points) provided key contributions. Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 35 points, but the Lakers outscored Dallas 15-8 in the final six minutes to seal their third straight win and 13th in their last 16 games.