The energy in the arena was undeniable, with the crowd reacting to every crossover, gasping at each shot, and eagerly willing every Lakers attempt into the basket.
It had the intensity of a playoff game—yet it was only the first quarter.
The crowd rose to the occasion for Luka Dončić’s first matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, the franchise where he built his NBA career, in a game that drew league-wide attention.
The arena was electric, but Dončić, the main attraction, struggled to find his groove.
Coming off his best game as a Laker with 32 points against Denver, he searched for rhythm against Dallas—mostly in vain. The Mavericks threw relentless defenders at him, limiting his opportunities. A rare made three, a stepback from the left side near the Lakers’ bench, was erased after a replay showed he was out of bounds. He finished with just six makes on 17 attempts.
Even though this was Dončić’s moment, he wasn’t alone. A day after promising to support him, Dorian Finney-Smith handled the little things, while LeBron James took care of the big ones—and the Lakers, once again, did what was needed to win.
Despite Dončić struggling with his shot, the Lakers battled their way to a 107-99 victory over a determined Mavericks team, still missing Anthony Davis, the key piece they acquired in the Dončić trade.
“I don’t know, it felt so weird,” Doncic said. “At moments, I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing and I’m glad we got a win.”
James took over in the fourth quarter, scoring 16 points through a mix of lobs, tips, and drives. Meanwhile, Finney-Smith contributed with a crucial rebound on a rare James miss, a perfect screen for a Dončić layup, a key defensive rotation, and a clutch steal.
Despite Dončić’s struggles, the Lakers surged to a 16-point lead midway through the second quarter, fueled by the relentless effort and hustle that have made them the NBA’s top defense for over a month.
Max Christie sparked Dallas with a crucial block and two late first-half threes, while Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson helped the Mavericks rally to tie the game in the fourth. But James took control offensively, and the Lakers’ defense held firm.
Despite his struggles, Dončić still recorded a triple-double with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists.
The Lakers have now won 13 of their last 16 games.
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