DALLAS, Feb. 27 (US): Anthony Davis missed a shot and yelled after giving the Los Angeles Lakers the lead forever with two minutes left.
So much for the 27-point deficit in the All-Star Show that went from laughter to excitement with 13 changes in the fourth quarter, AP reports.
Davis scored 30 points and 15 rebounds, LeBron James scored 26 and the Lakers completed their biggest rally in 21 years, beating the same team again in a 111-108 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
And the fourth victory in five games came with Los Angeles after falling behind by 27 points in the middle of the second quarter, the same deficit that the Lakers faced at the start of the fourth period at home against Dallas on December 6, 2002, before ending the rally with 30 points. in a 105-103 victory.
“They were never discouraged,” said Lakers coach Darvin Hamm. “They had this look of frustration, but not the look of defeat on their face. Everyone just wanted to stay encouraged.”
Luka Doncic scored 26 points for the Mavs, but the youngest of the Four Stars was limited and frustrated, largely by Jared Vanderbilt’s defense, after a 14-point first quarter that sent Dallas on its way to the lead.
Kyrie Irving had 21 points and 11 rebounds for Dallas, but he didn’t take over in the fourth quarter the way he did in Doncic’s first win since the trade from Brooklyn over lowly San Antonio.
“We have to grow if we want to win a championship,” said Mavs coach Jason Kidd. “What the Lakers have just shown us is that it’s not the rabbit that wins; it’s the tortoise. And they’ve nailed the game. And that’s what we have to improve on.”
Davis and James were standouts in the fourth quarter as trade acquisition D’Angelo Russell stalled after spraining his ankle in the win over defending champion Golden State in the previous game.
The Lakers had what looked like an ankle scare with James as the lead was gaining momentum in the third quarter, with the recent all-time scoring leader hanging back for several minutes clutching his lower right leg. remained in the game.
“It was better,” said James, who was limping through the tunnel after the match. “But I’m definitely not going into the dressing room and I’m not going to finish the game. The significance of this match and then the momentum we had, I felt like we could steal one after I went down.”
After the injury, James hit a game-tying three-pointer to start the fourth, then another bucket for Los Angeles’ first lead since the middle of the first quarter.
After Davis rebounded and sank for a 104-103 lead with 2:00 remaining, James scored for a three-point advantage.
The Mavericks were still on third down with 15 seconds left when an inside pass from Irving to Doncic was headed into the backcourt. Doncic ran to save him from going into the backcourt, thinking it would be a spin if he didn’t.
Davis caught the loose ball and forced a Dallas fumble. Doncic could have let the ball cross the middle of the field without Dallas losing possession.
Irving said he threw the ball towards the backcourt to give Doncic more space, and thought the 24-year-old would know he could let it cross in the middle of the field.
“As soon as I saw him try to save it from half court, I looked at him about a minute later, ‘You know you can go back to the back court?'” Irving said. He’s like, ‘Uh, it’s my fault. “This is what it will be like when you learn in the game with each other.”
Vanderbilt, another commercial rebounder for Los Angeles, had 15 points, 17 rebounds and four steals, including two during a 12-0 run in the third quarter that secured a deficit inside 10 for the first time since late in the first half.
Tip-ins
Lakers: Los Angeles won despite 0-of-15 starts from a 3-point range and was outscored 30-0 from deep by the second quarter.
The comeback was methodical and inbound-oriented, as the Lakers outscored the Mavericks 62-32 in the paint. … Dennis Schroeder had 16 points and eight assists.
Mavericks: Dallas calmed down after a hot start by going 8 of 26 after the break. Doncic made his first 3 but missed four of the last five. Irving was 1 of 8 from Deep after halftime. .
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 17 points and helped fuel Dallas’ early rise by blocking a shot by James, running on the loose ball and throwing a long pass to Doncic for a layup just before the end of the first quarter.
the next
Lakers: In Memphis on Tuesday.
Mavericks: Indiana visits Tuesday.