After a three-game road trip produced no wins, the Los Angeles Lakers returned home to host the Dallas Mavericks in hopes of getting back in the win column. Though the Lakers failed to get a victory on the road, every game was competitive as the team continued its solid play since the All-Star Break.
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Head coach Byron Scott made changes to the starting lineup, inserting Wesley Johnson, Jordan Hill, and Tarik Black to go along with the backcourt of Jordan Clarkson and Wayne Ellington. Clarkson was coming off a career night after posting 25 points in the Lakers loss against Memphis.
The Mavericks have been struggling lately as well, losing four of their last five games, but did welcome back forward Chandler Parsons on this night. The Mavs boast a balanced lineup with Rajon Rondo, Monta Ellis, and Dirk Nowitzki all capable of big nights. The Lakers came in at 16-45 while the Mavs were 40-24, seventh in the Western Conference.
First Quarter
Wesley Johnson made a nice jumper and then hit Jordan Hill on the next possession as the Lakers went ahead 4-0 to start. Rajon Rondo hit a jumper and Dirk Nowitzki hit a three to get the Mavericks started, but dunks from Hill and Tarik Black kept the Lakers ahead 8-7. A lob from Parsons to Chandler put the Mavs in front but another jumper from Hill gave the Lakers the lead right back. The teams traded baskets as the Mavs took a one point lead on a basket from Dirk. Johnson hit another jumper to tie the game and Clarkson gave the Lakers a lead with a tough reverse layup. Jeremy Lin hit Ed Davis with a nice alley-oop to give the Lakers a three-point lead. A jumper from Boozer gave the Lakers a three-point lead, but the Mavs jumped right back as back-to-back layups from Rondo put Dallas ahead by three as the first quarter wound down. Another jumper from Dirk put Dallas ahead by five, but Davis hit Boozer for a dunk and Jeremy Lin got a layup right at the end of the quarter to cut Mavs lead to one 25-24.
Second Quarter
Amare Stoudemire hit a hook to start off the scoring in the second quarter. Davis got a layup off a nice hustle play from Boozer and Davis would get a huge block on Raymond Felton on the other end. Lin hit Davis in transition for a layup as the Lakers regained a one point lead. Wayne Ellington got on the board with a layup and a tip-in from Davis put the Lakers ahead five. Back-to-back baskets from Parsons tied the game at 34, but Boozer got an easy layup to keep the Lakers in front. A layup from Al-Farouq Aminu tied the game midway through the quarter. Free throws from Aminu and a jumper from Ellis put Dallas ahead by four. Parsons hit a jumper to extend the Mavs lead to six with under three minutes left in the half. The Lakers stormed right back behind jumpers from Johnson and and a layup from Black to tie things up at 42. Free throws from Black gave the Lakers a lead, but a floater from Ellis tied the game to end the first half, 44-44.
Third Quarter
A beautiful Ellington three got the quarter started for the Lakers. A Johnson jumper and free throws gave the Lakers a five-point lead early in the quarter. Ellis drove for a floater to cut the lead back to three. Clarkson would hit his own floater, but Rondo hit a jumper to keep the Lakers lead at three. Clarkson drove the lane for a massive dunk in transition and a steal from Black led to a dunk from Ellington to give the Lakers a 57-50 lead. An Ellis three and free throws from Chandler quickly cut the Lakers lead down to two points, but Johnson got a prayer of a three-pointer to fall. Aminu hit a three of his own, but Hill made a floater as the Lakers maintained a four-point lead. Boozer hit a jumper and Lin knocked down a pair of free throws as the Lakers got their biggest lead of the game, eight points. Baskets from Stoudemire and Ellis quickly cut the Lakers lead down to five, but Clarkson got a shooters bounce on a midrange jumper. Both teams battled as Clarkson got a putback on an offensive rebound, but Ellis hit a three. Boozer got a nice tip-in as the Lakers kept a six-point lead, but Ellis hit another three to cut that lead in half. Clarkson avoided a turnover and hit Davis who hit Boozer for a layup. Ellis again responded with one more three to end the quarter, singlehandedly keeping the MAvericks in the game as the third quarter ended with the Lakers ahead 77-75.
Fourth Quarter
Davis had a nice tip-jam to start the quarter, but the Lakers left Dirk wide open for a three on the other end that cut the Lakers lead to a point. Boozer got a nice drive for a layup and foul. The free throw put the Lakers up four early in the fourth. Ellis again attacked the basket to cut the lead to two. Both teams missed some scoring opportunities leaving the Lakers with a two-point lead before Ryan Kelly hit a couple free throws. Stoudemire hit a jumper for the Mavs to keep them within two. Ellington got a layup, but Parsons made Kelly look silly on the other end for a layup of his own. Ellington hit a jumper and Lin hit Boozer for a layup as the Lakers took a six point lead midway through the fourth. A layup and free throws from Aminu made it a one possession game. More free throws from Aminu tied the game and a Rondo jumper finally put the Mavs in front by a basket. Ellis split a pair of free throws and Rondo banked in a jumper as the Mavs took a five-point lead. The Mavs continued to pull away as a three from Ellis capped a 14-1 run to put them ahead 98-91. Another Ellis jumper gave Dallas a 100-91 lead with only one minute left. An Ellington miss and a steal from Aminu iced the game as the Lakers lost their fifth straight game 100-93.
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