![]() But unlike the last game between these two clubs back in Dallas, this time the Mavs didn’t flinch. ![]() The Mavs led 62-54 at the half and by many as 14 points in the third quarter before the Lakers rallied to take a five-point lead late in the fourth quarter. We got a great look late, and then Maxi stepped up and made the last six points.” “But just the patience, the trust to execute late. “Kai did everything to get a shot, and then the trust to be able to go to Maxi, who took a big shot and made it. “Everyone knew that we were going to Kai (on the last play) and he still got the ball to (Kleber) with two guys on him,” Kidd said. And the return of Irving paid huge dividends as he was 14-of-23 from the field, including 5-of-9 from beyond the three-point arc. However, it was the Mavs - they won the season series over the Lakers, 3-1 - who caused the most problems Friday as they extended their record to 2-0 on this three-game trip. Luka Doncic sat out his fourth straight game with a left thigh strain, but said he’s hopeful of playing in Monday’s game in Memphis.ĭavis led the Lakers with 26 points and 10 rebounds, Austin Reaves scored 16 points, Dennis Schroder popped in 15 points, and D’Angelo Russell added 11 points and 11 assists.Īlthough the Lakers were without the injured LeBron James (foot) for the 10 th straight game, coach Jason Kidd said: “They’re a good team with or without him. scored 12 points and Kleber finished with 10 points. He poured in 13 of his points in the frantic fourth quarter.Īlso for the Mavs, Christian Wood contributed 12 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals, Tim Hardaway Jr. Irving led the Mavs with 38 points, six rebounds and six assists in 39 minutes after missing the previous three games with right foot soreness. “We were up again here tonight (by 14 points), they made a run, we stayed connected, and we executed down the stretch when we had to.” ![]() 26 and won, 111-108, after rebounding from a massive 27-point deficit. It also was a beautiful thing that the Mavs were able to redeem themselves and emerge victorious after the Lakers went into Dallas on Feb. That just shows how special those guys are in that locker room, and Kai said it best. “His teammates picked him up, and then again the trust tonight to come to him with the game-winner. “Maxi took it hard that in San Antonio he could have just thrown it in and we wouldn’t have had to go into overtime,” Kidd said. Irving described it as redemption for Kleber. Kleber, who also made three free throws with 7.2 seconds left to get the Mavs within 109-108 of the Lakers, was able to make amends after his botched inbounds pass late in Wednesday’s game in San Antonio helped send that contest into overtime. I’m glad I got it to him with enough time to at least get the shot off.” I was trying to get it to (Kleber’s) shot pocket. “I thought about, for a split second, forcing that two up to tie the basketball game, but I saw Maxi open and I saw AD kind of helping (defend) a little too much. “I’m just grateful that I kind of had my head on a swivel. “It seemed like three (Lakers) were around me at the end of the game,” Irving said. In trying to escape the double-team, Irving was cognizant of the fact that precious time was quickly slipping away. “He turned back around and couldn’t get a shot off, so when he passed it I knew I had to just quick-fire it, and that’s basically what I did.” “I saw Kyrie getting double-teamed and when he kind of moved away from me I looked up at the shot clock and it was 2.5 seconds or something,” Kleber said. From there, Kleber released the ball with 0.2 seconds left, the clock expired, and the ball dropped through the basket as the Mavs displayed their own version of March Madness by rushing the floor. On the winning shot, the Lakers hurriedly sent two defenders at Kyrie Irving, who swung the ball from the right side of the court to the left side where Kleber – who was left open by Anthony Davis - was stationed. ![]() It was the first buzzer-beating game-winner of Kleber’s career, it was the first Mavs player to convert a game-winning buzzer-beater in this arena, and it moved the Mavs (36-35) two games ahead of the Lakers (34-37) in the Western Conference standings.Īlso, with losses by Minnesota and Golden State on Friday, the Mavs were able to leapfrog from the eighth seed into the sixth spot. Even coach Jason Kidd joined in on the mobbing of Kleber. LOS ANGELES – In a place where the Dallas Mavericks have suffered so many heartbreaks, Maxi Kleber drained a gut-check three-pointer as time expired Friday night to lift the Mavs to a dramatic 111-110 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers at Arena.Īfter the ball nestled through the net and the final buzzer went off in this pivotal matchup, Kleber’s teammates made a mad dash onto the court and mobbed him.
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