The Los Angeles Lakers took a three-game winning streak into Wednesday’s contest against the Dallas Mavericks, and the contest served as a stiff test of their newfound momentum.
After playing Dallas even in the opening minutes, the Lakers started to fall behind late in the first quarter, and they found themselves down 62-46 at halftime. Things got even worse in the third quarter, as the Mavs went up by as many as 20. The Lakers simply couldn’t hit shots from the outside in the first three periods, and they were unable to take advantage of a Mavs defense that came in ranked 25th in defensive rating and 28th in points in the paint allowed.
Then Los Angeles went on a furious rally in the fourth quarter, and it looked like all the momentum had radically switched. Suddenly, it was Dallas who couldn’t buy a basket, while L.A. got hot from the outside. The Lakers briefly took a 101-99 lead with just over a minute left, but they wouldn’t score again, as their comeback bid fell short, 104-101.
They now hold a 9-7 record as they prepare to head out on a four-game road trip that will include games against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder, all of whom have winning records.