Lakers Highlights: LA Dismantles Mavericks, Returns to .500

The Lakers blew out the Mavericks en route to becoming .500 again.

Your Los Angeles Lakers have defeated the Mavericks 127-110 on the backs of tremendous showings from Anthony Davis, D'Angelo Russell, and LeBron James. The game was actually more of a blowout than that final score even suggests. 

All of LA's starters sat out for the game's final 4:44, with a 23-point edge at the time.

Davis finished with 28 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists, while Russell and James put up 29 and 25 each, culminating in LA's 4th win in 6 games, and second in a row against a top Western Conference team. 

As a team, LA was sizzling from behind the arc, shooting 43% from 3-point range, hitting 1 more three than Dallas despite 12 fewer attempts. 

They also moved the ball well, finishing with 33 assists, 6 more than their per-game average, highlighting better ball movement, especially in transition.

Kyrie Irving briefly exited the game after a collision with LeBron James, struggling throughout the game. His 4-16 from the field marked his worst shooting performance since December 1st, and his 12 points were his fewest since New Year's Day, emphasizing LA's lockdown defense.

Jarred Vanderbilt has looked great for the best two games, and if he continues to play at this level (which resembles what he did last season), he carries the potential to swing the Lakers' season and bring this team back to Western Conference Finals form.

Here's some of the team's top plays on the day: 

LeBron’s vision is INSANE 🤯 pic.twitter.com/3SEaR9Waj5

— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) January 18, 2024

And one 👑 pic.twitter.com/VOV85sDlrz

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 18, 2024

BANG !! Mama there goes that man 😮‍💨
pic.twitter.com/uZMLvpiYVY

— NBALakersReport (@NBALakersReport) January 18, 2024

D’ANGELO RUSSELL HAVING HIMSELF A NIGHT 🔥 pic.twitter.com/NEAbX4VYs9

— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) January 18, 2024

The set in question. Labeled it as "Wide Pin Reject Flip Veer Step". The Lakers run a ton of stuff out of their Wide Pin series so having Dlo reject it is a good one to get the Mavs defense off guard. AD then goes to screen for Dlo but the Mavs do a good job blowing that up.… https://t.co/E1CiUp7DN8 pic.twitter.com/2hVroMUCNI

— Sean Davis (@Sean_Davi) January 18, 2024

The Lakers will take on the Brooklyn Nets and Portland Trail Blazers in their next two games, both of which are at home, opening the door to a four-game win streak and becoming winners of six of their last eight.