The Lakers (16-13) opened their road trip on the right foot in a thrilling 107-104 overtime victory over the Dallas Mavericks (14-14) to push their win streak to three games.
Both teams were missing some key players due to injuries and Covid-19 as Talen Horton-Tucker, Malik Monk, and Dwight Howard are all in the league’s health and safety protocols after testing positive. The Mavs were without their star, Luka Doncic, for the third straight game as he continues to deal with an ankle injury.
L.A. trailed by three at the half but once again had another solid performance in the third frame (have won nine of the last 11 third quarters) and the two teams were tied at 73 heading into the fourth.
Dallas opened on 7-0 run and started to run away with the game, but the Lake Show would not go quietly into the Texas night and went on a 12-4 run to take a one-point the lead with about three minutes left.
The Mavericks would regain the lead and were up by three in the dying seconds until Wayne Ellington knocked in the game-tying three with two seconds left to send the game into overtime.
A back-and-forth overtime ended when Austin Reaves hit a game-winning three to give L.A. it’s third straight win. ‘Hillbilly Kobe’ finished with 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, to along with seven rebounds, two assists and a steal.
“Big-time shot,” Anthony Davis said postgame. “He’s not afraid of the moment and it shows right there."
With AD back in the starting lineup (missed last two games), the ‘Big 360’ showed out and contributed tremendously in tonight’s victory. Davis and Russell Westbrook each earned their 13th double-double of the season. Davis finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds and two assists and Westbrook ended his night with 23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.
LeBron James led the Lakers in scoring with 24 points and added five assists, three rebounds and one steal (his ninth straight game with at least 20 points).
Ellington earned a starting role in place of THT and on top of his clutch three to send the game into overtime, he finished with nine points, three rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
The Lakers will travel to Minnesota where they’ll face the Timberwolves in the second game of their three-game roadie on Friday night.