NBA: Luka Doncic leads late rally as Mavericks hold off Lakers 109-104

Luka Doncic scored seven of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, Jalen Brunson added 22 points and the Dallas Mavericks rallied for a 109-104 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

Dorian Finney-Smith had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Mavericks, who hung on for their eighth win in 10 games after blowing a huge early lead on the struggling Lakers.

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Dallas trailed 100-94 with seven minutes to play before scoring 11 consecutive points in a rally kicked off by Brunson’s fourth 3-pointer. Doncic went 9 of 21 and looked significantly less sharp than in most previous games during his monthlong scoring tear, but made enough big baskets to win it.

LeBron James scored 26 points and Carmelo Anthony had 20 for the Lakers, who took their sixth loss in seven games despite erasing a 21-point deficit in just over 12 thrilling minutes spanning halftime.

Despite giving a much better effort against Dallas than in its most recent games, Los Angeles has lost 15 of 21 to slide a season-worst seven games below .500, with even its position in the postseason play-in tournament looking increasingly tenuous. Los Angeles is 0-3 since the All-Star break.

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Two nights after the Lakers were booed by their home fans in a lifeless blowout loss to New Orleans, James and his teammates had the crowd applauding their effort and comeback — but the result was the same.

Dallas wrapped up a five-game road trip with four victories, but only after surviving a largely poor second half.

The Mavs jumped to their big lead during a first half highlighted by Doncic’s incendiary one-handed putback dunk over Dwight Howard late in the first quarter.

The first half looked like another wreck for the Lakers, who got three technical fouls for arguing amid their missed shots and lapsed defense. Coach Frank Vogel, Kent Bazemore and Russell Westbrook, who missed eight of his first nine shots, all got rung up.

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But Los Angeles made a 22-7 run out of halftime and pulled even with cold-shooting Dallas on James’ 3-pointer.

SWITCHING DJs

After essentially standing pat with an ugly hand at the trade deadline, the Lakers on Tuesday waived disappointing center DeAndre Jordan and signed veteran point guard D.J. Augustin and journeyman forward Wenyen Gabriel. The newcomers weren’t yet in town, but should be available later this week.

TIP-INS

Mavericks: Dallas avenged a loss at home to the Lakers in December while Doncic was sidelined with an ankle injury. … Spencer Dinwiddie had 14 points and nine assists.

Lakers: They also waived two-way forward Sekou Doumbouya to create a second roster spot. … Avery Bradley missed his fourth straight game with a right knee injury.

UP NEXT

Mavericks: Host Warriors on Thursday.

Lakers: At Clippers on Thursday.