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LeBron James and the Lakers lose to the Mavericks 134-128 in Dallas.

April 6, 2026

DALLAS — Lakers Experience Life Without Doncic and Reaves

The Lakers faced a significant challenge Sunday night at the American Airlines Center as they took on the Mavericks without star players Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

It was a mix of feelings, somewhat surprising, but perhaps not for the reasons one might think.

Despite missing their dynamic duo—who combined for 56.8 points and 13.8 assists during the regular season—the Lakers managed to score. Their downfall came on the defensive end, which contributed to a 134-128 loss to the Mavericks. Doncic and Reaves are out for the season due to Grade 2 injuries to their hamstring and oblique, respectively.

In a striking first quarter, the Mavericks put up 41 points and had 67 by halftime, further distancing themselves from the Lakers.

LeBron James stepped up, leading the Lakers with 30 points, 15 assists, and 9 rebounds. Meanwhile, Luke Kennard notched his first career triple-double, scoring 15 points along with 16 rebounds and 11 assists.

Jackson Hayes contributed 23 points off the bench, and Rui Hachimura added 21 points, but it wasn’t enough to counter the standout performance by Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg.

Implications of the Game

This loss marked back-to-back defeats for the Lakers, a first since late February, adjusting their season record to 50-28, tying them with the Nuggets.

Fortunately, with the Timberwolves losing to the Hornets, the Lakers remain firmly in fifth place in the Western Division.

Currently sitting third in the Western Conference, the Lakers previously swept their regular season matches against all three teams in their division and won tiebreakers against the Nuggets, Rockets, and Timberwolves for better playoff positioning.

Key Moments

After narrowing the gap to 112-107 with 8:45 left in the game, the Lakers couldn’t hold back the Mavericks on crucial defensive plays.

Although they were down by as many as 22 points in the second quarter, the Lakers fought back, reaching only a six-point deficit by halftime and closing to two points mid-third quarter. They even entered the fourth with a ten-point lead.

However, Marvin Bagley’s putback, combined with Brandon Williams’ free throws, pushed the Mavericks to a 116-107 advantage, as the Lakers missed chances to tighten the score.

MVP: Cooper Flagg

Impressively, rookie Cooper Flagg achieved a career-high 51 points in this game, along with nine assists and eight rebounds, shooting 14 of 27 from the floor and hitting 15 of 17 free throws.