DALLAS — Luka Doncic, now with the Lakers, faced an unusual challenge when they met his former team, the Mavericks, for the first time since his trade last year.

Despite the anticipation, Doncic hasn’t experienced a loss against them yet.

On Saturday night, the Lakers secured a 116-110 victory against the Mavericks at American Airlines Center. This was Doncic’s second game back in Dallas and marked his fourth encounter with the Mavericks since being traded on February 2, 2025.

For a good part of the second half, it seemed like the Lakers were poised to finally taste defeat against Dallas. The Mavericks had a confidence-boosting third quarter, outscoring the Lakers 35-14, and ended that period with an 87-79 lead.

They extended their advantage early in the fourth, pulling ahead to 93-79.

However, the Lakers found their rhythm late in the game, finishing strong as they had in recent matches, outscoring Dallas 29-8 in the final seven and a half minutes. This powerful finish kept their record perfect at 4-0 with Doncic on their roster.

Doncic led the charge as usual, putting up 33 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds. Yet, it was Marcus Smart’s hustle in the closing minutes (13 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists) that really seemed to sway the momentum in the Lakers’ favor.

Rui Hachimura also contributed significantly, nailing two crucial 3-pointers late in the game, which helped the Lakers regain the lead at 108-106 for the first time since the third quarter.

Smart kept the pressure on with a putback after Hachimura missed a three, giving the Lakers a 110-107 edge with 1:40 left. Then LeBron James added to their tally with another critical layup, extending the lead to 112-107. They held onto at least a five-point lead for the rest of the night.

What does that mean?

From a standings perspective, the Lakers (27-17) remain in fifth place in the competitive Western Conference. They now have a chance to build on this win after struggling, having lost five out of their last eight games. Since December 1, they’re sitting at 12-13, with only three wins strung together since late November.

Turning point

A noticeable shift occurred when Lakers coach JJ Redick switched to a small-ball lineup with just under 10 minutes to go. During this time, the Lakers dominated Dallas, outscoring them 36-17.

MVP: Luka Doncic

Doncic led the Lakers not just in scoring, but also made crucial defensive stops, showcasing his versatile skills.

Match status: 10 possessions

At one point, the Lakers endured nearly six minutes without a score in the third quarter, allowing Dallas to capitalize and launch a 16-0 run for a brief 72-69 lead.

To the next

Next up for the Lakers is an eight-game road stretch, continuing in Chicago against the Bulls on Monday at 5 p.m. This marks their first away game against an Eastern Conference foe since a win over the Philadelphia 76ers on December 7.

So far, they’ve played five of their 14 road games against Eastern teams, securing three victories and two losses.