From 48-21 to 108-111. The Los Angeles Lakers took a very important victory on their visit to Dallas despite trailing by 27 points, completing the biggest comeback so far this year and confirming the notable improvement they have experienced after the market closed. Ham’s men showed depth, resources and a competitive hunger that led them to add their third consecutive victory, which leaves them just one game away from the play-in positions and makes them dream both for the result and for their forms.
Things couldn’t have started worse for the Angelenos, who, unable to hit a triple even if their lives depended on it, went through moments of true offensive jam while the Mavericks flew at the other end of the field. Those in gold and purple scored only one of their first 21 shots from the perimeter, a heavy burden that not even their ability to attack the paint and add in it could compensate. To make matters worse, Dallas started the game going 12/21 on 3-point shooting, boasting speed, circulation and efficiency that blew the visitors away.
This is how the aforementioned 48-21 was reached with just 17 minutes played, a score that promised anything but a tight and exciting finish. However, the Lakers refused to let go, and they took the pulse of the match with the advance of the first part to turn what was being a debacle into a somewhat more even clash. As Dallas’ outside success went down to earth, the Angelenos began to be able to play a little more in transition, finding better scoring situations, planting their defense better and finally transmitting good feelings. With a triple by Malik Beasley on their last possession, they managed to reduce the deficit to just 14 points (the fewest in the 2nd quarter), a difference that, despite being wide in favor of the Mavericks, seemed to leave the visitors more satisfied with how things had happened.
The Jarred Vanderbilt Game
The big change, however, came in the second half thanks to an earthquake of magnitude 10 on the Vanderbilt scale. The one of this day was the great presentation meeting of the ex-Jazz as a new piece from Los Angeles, since his impact in defense and rebounding made him the key piece in the comeback. Jarred seemed omnipresent at times, and displayed an enormous ability to take each loose ball, to disturb each shot, to reach each pass. To, in short, stop Dallas dead.
Vanderbilt finished the match with 17 rebounds, 8 of them in attack and each one more important, and 4 steals that seemed like 25. In addition to being in charge of defending Luka Doncic on many possessions, his size and athletic ability were a nightmare for the Slovenian , forming together with Anthony Davis and his 3 blocks a defensive duo that served as an anchor for one of the most competitive versions of these Lakers. And as if that were not enough, also contributing 15 points with an effective 6/8 in field goals.
In attack, however, it was Davis and LeBron James who led the team with 30 and 26 points respectively. Specifically, the forward finished putting the team on his back in the fourth quarter, in which he safely assumed chevrons and, using his strength and good footwork in the post, scored 11 of his points. In addition, Dennis Schröder added 16 points, including two key free throws to close the game, while Austin Reaves stayed at 9 but converted a vital three-pointer to put his team ahead in the final minutes.
A loss to the European
In the Texans, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving tried to keep the team afloat as the rest of their teammates faded away, and, even with problems finding themselves in the second half, they led the local scoring with 26 and 21 points. However, both also starred in one of the most decisive actions of the night, an action in which the difference between FIBA and NBA regulations took its toll on them.
With 105-108 on the clock and 18 seconds left, Kyrie was about to serve after timeout, and Doncic stepped up to receive. However, since Vanderbilt (always Vanderbilt) was very close to him, Irving opted to throw the ball towards the defensive field to give Luka more space, which confused the Slovenian, who thought he could not receive the ball in his own half or it would be whistled back field. To avoid what he thought would be a turnover, the point guard tapped the ball, costing him a real fumble and allowing the Lakers to call out the game.
(Cover photo: Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
