LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Luka Doncic produced another dazzling performance as the Dallas Mavericks brought LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers back down to earth with a 127-125 victory in the National Basketball Association regular season on Tuesday.
Doncic rattled off his eighth straight 30-point game to finish with 33 points, 17 assists and six rebounds in a thrilling back-and-forth duel with the Lakers, who were playing their first game since winning the inaugural in-season tournament on Saturday.
An absorbing contest at Dallas’ American Airlines Center home saw the lead change hands eight times, with the Lakers overturning a 15-point deficit with a huge third quarter to help open up a four-point lead early in the fourth.
But Dallas’ Dante Exum took over with a superb shooting display in the final period that saw him rattle in 17 points — including five three-pointers — to carry the Mavs to victory.
Exum finished with 26 points while Tim Hardaway Jr. added 32 points from the bench to support Doncic.
