Dallas star Luka Doncic posted a 35-point triple-double, twice forcing overtime with three-pointers as the Mavericks edged the Lakers 119-115 in a bruising NBA clash in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Doncic added 14 rebounds and 13 assists in his 10th triple-double of the season.
His step-back three-pointer with six seconds left in regulation — his only basket of the fourth quarter — knotted the score at 101-101 and they went to overtime when Troy Brown missed at the buzzer.
Doncic hit an almost identical shot to tie it up at 108-108 with 47.8 seconds remaining in the first extra session, and after two misses by LeBron James and one by Dallas’ Tim Hardaway Jr. they went to a second OT.
“It was very physical,” said Doncic, who was sent sprawling by a hip check from Russell Westbrook.
“Two overtimes, a lot of minutes, you had to stay focused. Energy was a little low after two overtimes, but we came through it.”
Christian Wood added 24 points, Hardaway had 22 and Spencer Dinwiddie scored six of his 17 points in the second overtime for Dallas.
Westbrook led the Lakers with 28 points off the bench. James, back in action after missing a game with a sore ankle, scored 24 and grabbed 16 rebounds but the Lakers dropped their second straight.
In Portland, Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points as the Cavaliers withstood a 50-point performance from Damian Lillard in a 119-113 come-from-behind victory over the Trail Blazers.
Mitchell’s jump shot with 4:40 to play put Cleveland up for the first time in the game and they held on for the victory.
Jarrett Allen added 24 points and 10 rebounds for Cleveland and Ricky Rubio scored nine points in his first game in more than a year.
Rubio had been sidelined since suffering a torn left knee ligament in December of 2021.
“I think it gave us an extra boost,” Allen said of Rubio’s return. “To finally see him back out here… it’s a joy for us all.”
The Cavs strengthened their hold on fourth place in the Eastern Conference, moving a game ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers, who were beaten 133-114 on their home floor by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
