The Los Angeles Lakers erased a late deficit on January 24, 2026, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 110-106 at American Airlines Center, and head coach JJ Redick pointed to an unexpected source for the comeback: Luka Doncic’s defense.
According to Redick, Dallas repeatedly hunted switches to attack the All-Star guard during the final period. Instead, Doncic turned those possessions into stops. “We counted after the game, he had six straight stops where they targeted him,” Redick told reporters. The final play came when Doncic drew an offensive foul on Naji Marshall, sealing the result.
Doncic entered the season noticeably leaner and stronger after an off-season conditioning overhaul, a change that has helped him lead the league in scoring at the midpoint of the 2025-26 campaign. While his offensive production keeps Los Angeles in the playoff picture, his ability to stay in front of quicker players has been questioned throughout the year.
Against Dallas, however, Doncic moved his feet, disrupted passing lanes with active hands and limited forward Cooper Flagg—who had scored easily earlier in the night—during the decisive stretch. The defensive effort allowed Los Angeles to climb back from a fourth-quarter deficit and hold the Mavericks without a field goal for key possessions down the stretch.
The victory pushed the Lakers to 24-22 as they continued their road trip. They face the Chicago Bulls on Monday, where Redick said the team will once again need Doncic to shoulder both scoring and late-game defensive responsibilities.
The trip to Dallas also marked Doncic’s first game back at American Airlines Center since his offseason trade. The guard said returning to the city where he spent the first seven seasons of his career felt “special,” adding that he was eager for the matchup rather than burdened by it.
Source: LakersNation.com
