LA Lakers post convincing NBA win over Dallas Mavericks despite Luka Doncic’s return
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Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots the ball against Tim Hardaway Jr. of the Dallas Mavericks during the third quarter at Crypto.com Arena.
PHOTO: AFP
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LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers, healthy again and fuelled by a near triple-double from Anthony Davis, spoiled Luka Doncic’s return from injury with a convincing 127-110 National Basketball Association (NBA) victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Jan 17.
Davis scored 28 points with 12 rebounds and nine assists and D’Angelo Russell scored 29 for the Lakers, withstanding a triple-double from Doncic – who had missed three games with a sprained right ankle.
Doncic scored 33 points with 13 rebounds and 10 assists. But fellow Mavs star Kyrie Irving was limited to 12 points on four-of-16 shooting and Dallas never led after the first quarter.
It was just one of the lopsided victories on a night that saw the Cleveland Cavaliers rout the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks 135-95, and the Boston Celtics beating the San Antonio Spurs 117-98.
At arenas round the league, teams observed a moment of silence in memory of Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic, who died earlier in the morning in Salt Lake City after a heart attack.
In Los Angeles, LeBron James said the Lakers’ victory – which pulled them back to 21-21 in the Western Conference – owed much to finally having a healthy squad.
“The most important (issue) for our team is about health,” said James, who had 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
“If we get guys to be in uniform and be on the floor... we get the continuity. We could get some minutes together and see what we’re about.”
In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points to lead the Cavaliers, who took full advantage of Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence to notch a sixth straight victory.
The Cavs raced to a 22-2 lead as Antetokounmpo, nursing a bruised right shoulder, watched from the bench – just the second game that the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player has missed this season.
Georges Niang connected on 13 of his 14 shots from the field on the way to a career-high 33 points for Cleveland, and Jarrett Allen posted his 10th straight double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds.
Damian Lillard led the Bucks with 17 points, making just seven of his 20 shots from the field. Khris Middleton had an even worse night, making just one of 10 shots en route to two points.
“Obviously we know what Dame and Khris are capable of but I thought our guys came out and were very pointed, they were physical without fouling,” Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.
“I thought our team defence was elite.”
In Boston, Jayson Tatum scored 24 points, Jrue Holiday added 22 and Jaylen Brown returned from a one-game injury absence to score 21 as the Celtics gave San Antonio’s rookie star Victor Wembanyama a rude welcome on his first visit to the TD Garden arena.
Wembanyama scored 10 of his 27 points in the first quarter, but the Celtics pulled away relentlessly against the Western Conference stragglers to improve their perfect home record to 20-0.
Boston (32-9) are top of the East, ahead of the Bucks (28-13). AFP
