Jan. 24, 2026 — The Los Angeles Lakers mounted a late charge to defeat the Dallas Mavericks 116-110 at American Airlines Center, salvaging the third stop of their eight-game road trip.
Key moment: Trailing by 14 early in the fourth quarter, Los Angeles tightened its defense and leaned on Marcus Smart’s hustle, Rui Hachimura’s timely shooting and LeBron James’ transition dunk to swing momentum. Hachimura drilled two clutch three-pointers, and Smart’s two-way play pushed the Lakers in front for good.
First-half control
The visitors set the tone early. James opened the scoring with a jumper, while Luka Doncic—facing his former club after last summer’s blockbuster trade—hit consecutive free throws, then back-to-back threes. Los Angeles closed the first quarter on a 24-12 run to lead 37-28.
Smart entered to begin the second period and immediately stretched the margin to double digits with a three. Doncic returned midway through the quarter, orchestrating a 55-41 advantage. The Lakers reached halftime up 65-52 despite a brief defensive lull when James rested.
Mavericks surge after the break
Dallas flipped the game in the third quarter, capitalizing on Laker turnovers and Deandre Ayton’s struggles in the paint. The Mavericks outscored Los Angeles 35-14 during one stretch and carried an 87-79 lead into the fourth.
Fourth-quarter reversal
The Mavericks stretched the gap to 14 before Smart, James and a revitalized defense ignited the comeback. Los Angeles held Dallas to 23 points in the period while scoring 37, sealing the win when Hachimura connected from deep twice in the final minutes.
Stat line: Doncic paced the Lakers with a blend of scoring and playmaking, James added key baskets, and Smart’s energy proved decisive. The victory moves Los Angeles back above .500 on the road swing.
Up next: The Lakers continue their trip Monday against the Chicago Bulls and Wednesday versus the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Source: LakersNation.com
