The Dallas Mavericks lost to the Los Angeles Lakers [116-110 Saturday night in Dallas](/dallas-mavericks-game-coverage/55105/mavericks-vs-lakers-recap-los-angeles-stuns-dallas-116-110-with-fourth-quarter-comeback-luka-doncic-cooper-flagg). It was a very weird, up-and-down game, with the Lakers jumping on the Mavericks early, Dallas storming back in the third quarter, then the Lakers returning the favor in the fourth.
This was former Mavericks star Luka Doncic’s first game back in Dallas this season, and only his second total since the shocking trade to the Lakers last year. Doncic was very good in this game, while the Mavericks struggled offensively outside of that third quarter burst.
It was a disappointing finish for sure, as the Mavericks had a 15 point lead at one point in the fourth quarter. Dallas didn’t get enough from their best players, as Cooper Flagg, PJ Washington, and Daniel Gafford all struggled, with Washington and Gafford putting up some pretty egregious stinkers.
This game snaps the Mavericks three-game winning streak. Onto the stats.
In a game this tightly contested, the Lakers superior shooting was the biggest difference. Los Angeles won by six in a game they outscored Dallas at the three point line by 12.
The Lakers offense wasn’t doing too much outside of getting hot from three. Luka Doncic had 11 assists, most of them to shooters in the corner. The Lakers were 5-of-12 on corner threes. Dallas on the other hand, couldn’t make much — going 10-of-29 from three overall. This was the first game in what felt like weeks where the Mavericks couldn’t get their drive game going, so a lot of the Mavericks threes were end-of-shot clock, contested looks.
It was a disastorious night for two of Luka’s former NBA Finals teammates. Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington were starters with Luka on that 2024 Finals team, but both came off the bench tonight as they are working their way to full health after nagging injuries.
Washington had the bigger stinker of the two, but it wasn’t a great night for either: Washington had two points in 26 minutes on 1-of-5 shooting, with only three rebounds and zero assists. Gafford had two points on 0-of-1 shooting, with two rebounds and two blocks in 16 minutes. At least Gafford had one impact play, a terrific blocked shot in the first half that felt like the first time all season we saw the old Gafford athleticism in action.
The Lakers are top-heavy, after Luka, LeBron, and Austin Reaves (who was out with injury), their depth drops off a cliff. Dallas theoretically has the advantage in depth but when two of their best players play like this? Woof. Dallas needed more from these two, even if they’re still working their way back from injuries.
This was a lousy game for Dallas, so I’ll end on a somewhat positive, although funny note: Caleb Martin nearly doubled his season three point total in one game. Martin entered tonight with five made three pointers: he made three, going 3-of-4 from deep.
Martin has been one of the worst rotation NBA players since arriving in Dallas last year, and injuries surely haven’t helped. This is the longest stretch of games Martin has played in the rotation and healthy, and it appears he might be inching back toward his Miami Heat form that earned him that multi-year deal with Philadelphia initially.
Who knows how long this lasts or where it goes. Martin did have six combined points in the previous three games. But Martin showing a pulse matters for a Mavericks team that needs all the help it can get.
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