Luka Doncic's Clutch Heroics Lift Mavs Over LeBron James' Lakers: 3 Big Takeaways

Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks managed to defeat LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers during the NBA's Thursday slate. DallasBasketball.com made some key takeaways from the game.

The Dallas Mavericks (24-19) overcame losing a big early lead and needing two overtime periods to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers (19-23), with 119-115 being the final score. 

Luka Doncic stole the show with 35 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists. He did so while shooting 14-28 from the floor and 4-9 from beyond the arc. However, he did finish just 3-7 from the free throw line, which proved to complicate matters late in the game. Doncic more than made up for it, though. 

Christian Wood had a rare stat line with 24 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, five blocks, and a pair of made 3-pointers. That has only been done five other times in NBA history by Karl-Anthony Towns (twice), Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, and Joel Embiid. 

Tim Hardaway Jr. and Spencer Dinwiddie also contributed key plays for the Mavs. Hardaway tallied up 22 points and eight rebounds despite an off-shooting performance from deep. Dinwiddie recorded 17 points, four rebounds, and four assists with a pair of late dunks and timely made shots. 

Here are three major takeaways from the Mavs' win over the Lakers.

3. Mavs Lost an Early 19-Point Lead

The Mavs had established a 36-17 lead over the Lakers in the first quarter. It appeared as though Dallas had control of the game, but that didn't last. With basketball being a game of runs, any team will encounter situations when the opposition has a big run to rally back. 

“We knew (the Lakers) were going to make a run,” Hardaway said. “A lot of the guys that made threes for them shot low percentages from the three-point line. But they knocked them down, they were confident, and they kind of got those guys going and got them back in the picture, and they took the lead.

“But we knew we weren’t out of it. Any time you’ve got 77 (Doncic) on the floor, it’s a chance, and you’ve got a great chance to win the ballgame. He did an excellent job.”

The goal for the Mavs surely will be to do a better job of maintaining their double-figure leads when they do manage to establish them. It's currently more challenging to defensively contain teams for long stretches without Dorian Finney-Smith and Josh Green in the lineup. 

With the roster's current construction, there will always be ups and downs offensively as 3-point shooting gets hot and cold. When teams start to double-team Doncic, it becomes especially vital for those open looks to drop. Continuing to improve in countering those coverages is important. 

2. Mavs Persevere Through a Hard-Fought Game

Both teams played a physical game, and there were clear signs of players battling through pain before making it to the finish line. Coming off two road losses, the Mavs were in a situation where they understood it was a must to avoid another.

“(It was a) hard-fought win on the road,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. “Normally, these games have gotten away from us, but tonight we stepped up. With the double-team and getting guys open shots, (Doncic) was doing everything.

“Again, we just didn’t shoot the ball well. We didn’t make timely shots there. Give the Lakers credit – they played hard. They took advantage of some of our mistakes on the defensive end. But tonight, again, coming down, we executed late and found a way to win.”

Perhaps the greatest display of grinding out the win was Christian Wood, who rolled his ankle late in the game but played through it. He had blocked James multiple times en route to five total rejections on the night, but his last was the most important. He swatted away a finish attempt by James on the Lakers' final offensive possession to force double overtime. 

“I rolled my ankle,” Wood said “I had to play through it. My team trusts me to play through it. I came up big at the end and got a nice little block.”

With some of the Mavs' starters even reaching the 50-minute threshold, it's safe to say they will need some recovery. Achieving a victory instead of a loss after such a hard-fought game was substantial in itself. It is all the better to do it while avoiding a three-game losing streak ahead of a road back-to-back.

''I'm more tired now,'' Doncic said. ''I think I was good in the game with the energy. Now I need to rest.''

1. Luka Doncic Delivered in Clutch 

Doncic played a substantial role in the Mavs achieving this victory. He finished with 35 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists. It's easy to see the impact there. He was particularly important when Dallas needed a clutch play. 

The Mavs used some clutch heroics from Doncic to force overtime. He converted a step-back 3-pointer after the Lakers had taken a 101-98 lead with 11.8 seconds left in regulation play. With the need to get three points, he went to work to create a clean look. It occurred after the Lakers' defense had frequently doubled him. 

“I was just getting into my stuff — that’s it,” Doncic said. “I was aware we needed a three, so I was going to shoot a three.”

When considering how teams tend to double Doncic in pivotal moments, he was a bit surprised not to see the Lakers do it again on the final possession of regulation. He was expecting an intentional foul, so he acted quickly.

''I was a little bit surprised (because) I thought they were going to foul, honestly,'' Doncic said. ''I tried to get it up before they fouled.''

Facing a 108-105 deficit with 1:11 left in the first overtime, Doncic delivered for the Mavs once again. He got to his spot to create a step-back 3-pointer and knocked it down, tying the score with 47.1 seconds remaining. Dallas now holds a 16-8 record in clutch games that Doncic plays this season. 

“Down three both times,” Hardaway said. “Key buckets. That’s what we do. That’s what he does, so we just wanted to try to do our best.

“We knew Russ was battling (Doncic) the whole entire time. I know I had a couple of wide open looks that hit the back iron and could have ended it earlier. But like I said, if (Doncic is) in the game, then we have a great chance.”

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