In a game that checked all the boxes for entertainment value and superstar heroics, the Mavericks had one thing that perhaps the Los Angeles Lakers weren’t expecting.
The Ex factor.
Dante Exum knocked in a pair of critical three-pointers to help spring the Mavericks from a tight game, then nailed the clincher from the corner with 52 seconds left as the Mavericks knocked off the Lakers 127-125 Tuesday night at American Airlines Center.
Exum’s last triple made it 127-121 and the Mavericks made that cushion last as they moved their record to 15-8 with a four-game winning streak, their longest since starting the season 4-0.
The Lakers, winners of the In-Season Tournament on Saturday, fell to 14-10.
The Mavericks were up most of the way until they took a snooze at the end of the third quarter and allowed Anthony Davis to lead an 8-0 LA run that put the Lakers up 95-93 going into the fourth.
As they say in any heated battle, it was on.
Neither side led by more than four points in the fourth quarter until Exum, continuing his sizzling play of late, knocked in a three-pointer for a 113-108 Mavericks’ advantage with 5:50 to play.
He then hit another to make it 116-110.
“Tonight, they kind of left me wide-open,” Exum said. “Those are the shots I have to keep shooting if they’re going to play me like that.
“I’m a driver, but if they’re going to stand three feet off me, I’m going to shoot it. So I like to get in the paint and cause defenses to collapse and kick out to the open guy. But obviously, I’m going to do whatever the defense gives me.”
On this night, the Lakers clearly were willing to take their chances with Exum shooting the ball, which he did wonderfully, hitting eight of 10 shots, including seven of nine three-pointers. The 6-5 guard had made just eight three-pointers all season before Tuesday.
He finished with 26 points, two off his career high and the third consecutive game he’s had at least 15 points.
After Luka Dončić added to his crazy assist total with a helper to Dereck Lively II for a dunk, the Mavericks set up Exum for his final three and they were able to breathe a little easier.
Luka, by the way, played a cerebral game, passing out of the double-teams that the Lakers constantly ran at him. He finished with 17 assists to go with 33 points.
“You play the percentages,” coach Jason Kidd said of LA’s defensive strategy. “But Exum, he’s playing at a high level right now. And with the injuries, it’s given him confidence. You can see that not just shooting threes but attacking the basket in the fourth, hitting that layup, not just settling.
“Luka has to lead the league in double-teams. He was double teamed for the majority of the game. And his trust with his teammates, if it’s not Timmy (Hardaway Jr.), it’s Exum and then the next guy. He trusts that the guy’s going to make the right play. Tonight, Exum was the one he was looking for.”
Exum had 17 of his points in the fourth quarter. He was pressed into starting duty because of the Mavericks’ multiple injuries.
“We saw their game plan basically the whole game – making Dante a shooter,” said Hardaway, who was on a tear all night with 32 points off the bench. “The guy goes in the gym before I go in. He’s out there with our shooting coaches getting in extra reps. It’s a credit to his work. And he’s shooting it with confidence.”
And the Mavericks reaped the benefits on Tuesday. They now have won five of their last six against the Lakers, by the way.
The Lakers got massive nights of their own from Anthony Davis with 37 points and 11 rebounds and LeBron James with 33 points.
But they were offset by the Mavericks’ high-scoring trio. Luka, Hardaway and Exum combined for 91 points. Grant Williams returned from right knee soreness with 19 points.
And, even though Luka played 44 minutes Monday in the 120-113 win at Memphis, the concern level of running up his minutes against the Lakers was low.
“We just stay in the moment,” coach Jason Kidd said pregame. “He’s 24. He’s been playing a lot of minutes here of late, but he was good. You look at the score, it’s unfortunate we could never get the lead big enough to take him out (in Memphis). But yesterday’s game, we had to find a way to win and we did.”
And while he’s played a lot recently, Luka has also had help.
The Mavericks are fourth in the NBA at 42 bench points per game. It’s a little tougher to keep that number high when a big chunk of your reserves are starting. But Hardaway did most of the heavy lifting.
But the Mavericks have managed to continue getting punch off the bench. Against the Lakers, it came from Richaun Holmes in the first half. The seldom-used (until recently) big man ripped down six rebounds and two of those were converted into five points on the offensive end as he fed Williams for a three-pointer and Luka for a bucket in the paint.
And Hardaway was a beast with 20 points in the first half , when the Mavericks had a 71-61 lead.
The injury situation has bordered on the ridiculous in recent games, though it improved slightly with the return of Williams.
But Kyrie Irving remains in a walking boot and on crutches, Kidd said before the game, and Josh Green (elbow), Maxi Kleber (right small toe) and Derrick Jones Jr. (left quad) all were out against the Lakers.
X: @ESefko
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