Davis Leads Rally From 27 Down as Lakers Beat Mavs 111–108

Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers scores a basket over Luka Doncic (77) of the Dallas Mavericks in the second half at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Feb. 26, 2023. Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

DALLAS—Anthony Davis had 30 points and 15 rebounds, including a put-back dunk for the late lead, and the Los Angeles Lakers erased a 27-point deficit in a 111–108 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, Feb. 26.

LeBron James scored 26 points as the Lakers won their fourth in five games by turning a showcase of stars from a laugher into a thriller that featured 13 lead changes in the fourth quarter.

Luka Doncic scored 26 points for the Mavs, but the youngest of the four superstars was limited and frustrated after a 14-point first quarter that sent Dallas on its way to the huge lead.

Kyrie Irving had 21 points and 11 rebounds for Dallas, but didn’t take over in the fourth quarter the way he did in his first victory with Doncic since the trade from Brooklyn—over lowly San Antonio.

Davis and James were the fourth-quarter standouts as trade acquisition D'Angelo Russell sat out after spraining his ankle in a victory over defending champion Golden State in the previous game.

Anthony Davis (3) and teammate LeBron James (6) of the Los Angeles Lakers box out Dwight Powell (7) of the Dallas Mavericks for a rebound in the first half at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Feb. 26, 2023. Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

James hit a tying 3-pointer to start the fourth, then another bucket for LA’s first lead since the middle of the first quarter.

After Davis’ rebound and dunk for a 104–103 lead with 2:00 remaining, James scored for a three-point edge.

The Mavericks were still down three with 15 seconds left when an inbound pass from Irving to Doncic went to the backcourt.

Doncic hesitated to pick it up thinking it would be a backcourt call and Davis grabbed it, forcing Dallas to foul.

Jarred Vanderbilt had 15 points, 17 rebounds and four steals, including two during a 12–0 third-quarter run that got the Lakers’ deficit inside 10 for the first time since late in the first.

The Lakers won despite an 0–of–14 start from 3-point range, and they were being outscored 30–0 from deep by the second quarter. The Mavericks cooled off from 3, going 8 of 26 after the break.

Tip-Ins

Lakers: Three players from the LA championship team in the 2020 playoff bubble were on the Dallas bench: JaVale McGee, Markieff Morris (acquired in Irving trade) and Mavs assistant Jared Dudley. Morris made his Mavs debut in the second quarter, and his first shot was a made 3.

Mavericks: Coach Jason Kidd is more hopeful about F/C Maxi Kleber returning during the season-long, six-game homestand after experiencing no setbacks in practice. He’s been out since December with a torn right hamstring.

Up Next

Lakers: At Memphis on Tuesday in another meeting with a team currently in the West playoff picture.

Mavericks: Indiana and coach Rick Carlisle visit Tuesday. It’s been a little more than a year since Carlisle made an emotional return to Dallas after coaching the Mavs for 13 seasons, which included the franchise’s only championship in 2011.

By Schuyler Dixon