By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Trailing by 11 points at the break, the Dallas Mavericks built a safer double-digit advantage of their own in the third period and went on to the 124-115 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Logging his second NBA Christmas Day appearance, Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic went for 32 points, nine assists, nine rebounds, and two steals over 39 minutes. Providing the necessary scoring help, Christian Wood poured in 30 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 23 of his 26 points in the second half.
Doncic, 23, banked in 13 points in a 51-20 team onslaught blowing out the game in the third quarter. The following comeback bid launched by the visitors fell way short. Conceding 13 three-pointers in the second half was too much for the Lakers.
The second game of the NBA Christmas Day schedule featured LeBron James breaking the league record set by Kobe Bryant by appearing in a 17th Christmas game. He was initially listed as probable with left ankle soreness and was brilliant throughout the contest tallying a game-high 38 points.
Besides Doncic, Latvian Davis Bertans scored all of his six points with a couple of triples in the first half. French Frank Ntilikina and Greek Tyler Dorsey did not leave the bench. European action on the opposite end, German Dennis Schroder finished with seven points, five rebounds, and four assists in 28 minutes.
German Maxi Kleber (right hamstring tear) is still out. Other players on the Mavericks‘ injury list were Dorian Finney Smith (right adductor strain), Josh Green (right elbow strain), and Kemba Walker (left knee). The Lakers missed Anthony Davis (right foot) and Juan Toscano-Anderson (right ankle).
Before the game, the Mavs unveiled Dirk Nowitzki’s statue in front of American Airlines Center with Doncic and more present in the special ceremony. Fittingly titled “Loyalty never fades away”, the trademark one-legged fadeaway of the longtime German loyal was placed outside the arena.
The third win in a row for the team coached by Jason Kidd improved the overall 2022-23 Regular Season W-L tally to 18-16. The Dallas franchise also went up to 3-3 in Christmas Day affairs. The losing side dropped to 13-20 off a fourth consecutive loss and 24-25 on Christmas.
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