NBA Live! Los Angels Lakers vs Dallas Mavericks | Luka vs Flag | Dallas vs lakers | NBA 2K25
out part of the year, Grant. Everyone just fighting through it.
No question, BA. And it’s not just physically exhausting. You’re trying to focus on every game, every possession. This is where your leaders can help keep everyone focused. And now Dallas’s starting group. Derek Lively is out there with Anthony Davis. Then it’s Klay Thompson. Then it’s Kyrie Irving. Irving against Donic. Irving no good. Now Los Angeles with it. Hits a three-point game. Shot is good by Reeves. Reeves has got five now. I love this approach. Getting him involved early and it’s already paying off. They know that if this guy goes off, their chances of winning rise exponentially. Pass to James. Brings up the ball for the Dallas Mavericks. Inside and a slam dunk by Lively. This is why you
played a great game
and I think it was clear that their plan was to attack from the three-point line and it worked to perfection.
Donic passes to Achimura. Four on the clock and it’s Donic missing. He’s got a great defensive mind. He gets good position and affects the release
and he did it without fouling. And that’s become an art, changing shots without making contact. Now here’s Davis. He’s coming off a 13-point game against the Golden State Warriors. To the paint. Check by James. It’s rebounded by Los Angeles. Donic outside. [Applause] Kyrie Irving clears the rebound. Mavericks trail by three. Davis a screen. Irving for three. That one goes. Now he’s one for two. Well, we know Kyrie is one of the outstanding shot takers and makers in this league.
A moment to hear from Alli Leforce.
I did briefly speak with JJ Reic. We spoke about Kyrie Irving and what the most challenging thing about defending him is. And he told me, quote, just how creative he is when he’s handling the ball. We want to keep the ball out of his hands as much as possible, even if it means sending double teams occasionally. We’ll see if this game plan works out for them, guys. Back to you.
And Ally, thank you for that. And Dallas with possession. They’re moving on after the tough loss they took at the hands of the Warriors.
Yeah, it was a tough one to watch. There were some bright moments, but ultimately their mistakes caught up with
To be perfectly frank with you, I’m surprised it was as close as it was. I thought they were outclassed all night.
The defense there doing whatever they can to protect the rim. Dallas shooting their initial free throws of the game here. [Applause] The first free throw is good. [Applause] [Applause] Both shots good from the strike. First quarter of action. Just under three and a half minutes played with the step back. Stolen by Davis on the wing. Thompson gets the three ball to go.
The speed with which Klay Thompson gets to his shooting motion off the catch makes him as dangerous as anyone. Aimura against Davis. James passes to Reeves. [Applause] Donic on the wing. He’s guarded by Irving. Clock is at three. Lets it fly from 18. Sinks that one after missing his first two attempts. Now one for three.
Well, you see what the defense wants to give up there. Luca more than comfortable in the mid-range. Thompson a screen on Donic. Irving for three. rebound the Lakers and and you never want to give a shooter like him a clean look down low. Aimura and it’s blocked by Davis. No chance. Davis just too much to handle on the defensive side. [Applause] And Irving has got the ball here for Dallas. They trail by one. Pass to Lively. And here’s Davis. Irving with it. Guarded by Donic. [Applause] And there’s a whistle. He’ll head to the line to shoot two. That one on Donic. You know, Irving isn’t just a perimeter player. He’s so dynamic inside as a scorer. His strength is savvy. Tough to keep the defense on balance.
Dallas shooting their third and fourth free throw shots of the night. [Applause] And the first one at the line is good. One thing that stands out about Kyrie Irving, obviously his creativity, especially when it comes to his handle. As good as it gets. [Applause] So, he gets them both.
Well, this guy has multiple ways to get to the free throw line. And boy, has his stroke been on the money.
And we’ve got a timeout called by JJ Reick. He wants to make sure everybody’s on the same page. Heat. Heat. Let’s go. And check out the NBA’s top three-point shooters over the course of the past month. Number one, Luca Donuch. Sometimes you get into a rhythm from long range and you can ride that stretch for a while. [Applause] James finds Aimura. Labra has checked in for Achimura. [Applause] Donic on the wing. Pass to Larabia. Here’s Reeves. puts it up. Aton gets rebounded by Dallas. Davis. The pass to Irving. [Applause] Now here’s Thompson again. The miss by Dallas.
And I’m surprised that didn’t go down. I mean, I’m sure he is, too. Here’s Livia. He had a 12-point outing in their last game against Denver. [Applause] And here’s James. Throw it down.
Can you say elevation LeBron James ever the showman with an exceptional slam there. One of the best dunkers in the history of the game.
And this is his first trip to the line tonight. Listen up. What’s striking about LeBron James is how his game has morphed to now it’s all about guile and smarts and experience. He continues to dominate just in a different way. Thompson with a screen. Irving for three. Again, the miss by the Mavericks.
I think he’s got to settle down cuz right now it feels like he’s rushing, like he’s forcing some shots this quarter. He has been completely bothered.
Now here’s Reeves. He had a 21-point outing in their last game against Denver.
And don’t forget the sensational plays he made out there. He saw the court so well, firing perfect passes to teammates for wide open shots. Now Davis. No point so far. Now here’s Irving
up and over. Donic. Rejected by Donic.
Boy, Luca has decided he wants to become a more complete defensive player. How about twice on the pipes.
They set the pick. Reeves. The pass to Donic. Just five to shoot. That one falls. His second make in five attempts.
Well, you love the activity out there. What a play. This guy is busy on the offensive end. Outside Davis. Checked by James. Thompson scanning the floor. Irving for three again. Irving missing.
Boy, what a nightmare quarter for this guy. He’s playing right into the hands of the defense at this point. Pass to James. Here’s the rabbia. He’s averaging more than 12 a game. A consistent threat on offense. Donic with the bucket. They’re really working the paint now.
And so Jason Kidd calls for the timeout. He’s gonna gather the troops and talk it over. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. And Los Angeles making a change here. Vincent’s checked in. And Dallas with a change here, too. Marshall, he’s checked in for Kyrie Irving. Mavericks trail by six. Marshall passes to Lively
and so he draws the foul headed to the line to shoot a pair.
It’s going to be on DeAndre Hatton.
Boy, when you talk about Derek Lively, first thing that strikes you are his physical tools, length, athleticism, great motor, but I also like the maturity from this young man. [Applause] That one’s off. [Applause] [Applause] And he’s good on the second. Now Los Angeles with it. They’re on an 11-3 run. Pass to Larabia. Back to Donic. He takes it in. Blocked
well on top of the length he provides. and athleticism. There are the shot blocking instincts of Derek Lively. Wow. To the inside. Tipped. Now Thompson. He’s covered by Vincent. Now the Lakers moving it up. And he got the whistle on the way up. So he’ll be headed to the line for a pair. First trip to the free throw line for him in this one. [Applause] Shooting two and he makes a first. The Mavericks making a switch here. [Applause] Hits both from the stripe. Mavericks trail by seven. Russell with a ball.
He had a 15-point outing in their last game against Golden State to the wing right side. Gafford with a screen on James. Just five on the clock and it’s Gaffford missing. That’s their plan to get him an opportunity to finish in tight. That’s a miss they can live with. Pass to Larabia. And here’s James. [Applause] And here’s Donic. He has six. And he drops in the layup off the glass. Donic has got eight points. And their offensive game plan is clear. Get it inside and go to work. Here’s Exum. They trail by nine. Out of bounds. It’ll go to the Lakers. Let’s take a look at the best rebounders around the league. The fourth spot held by Anthony Davis.
Just so strong on the boards. That’s a skill that helps your team win games.
Some changes for Los Angeles. Vanderbilt comes in for DeAndre Aton and Austin Reeves is subbed in for Luca Donuch. Los Angeles leading by nine. Vincent outside pass to Reeves. Here’s Labraia. A chance to extend the lead to double digits, but it’s no good. Dallas has gone just two for six from the arc here in the first. And the basket is good. The amazing thing about AD, you don’t have to create for him. He’s a big man who can create for himself. So, it’s Los Angeles now. Now, James coming off a 22-point game against the Nuggets in Denver. So much of the offense ran through him. Looking at the assist total, we saw how unselfish he can be. What a way to begin this game, dominating at both ends of the floor.
And give them credit for approaching this game with the right energy and intensity. This team has attacked every chance they’ve gotten. And what an aggressive move to the rim. He’s really trying to fire up his teammates right now.
Boy, it’s not hard to feel inspired after a teammate makes that kind of finish.
Where was the defense? No help. You can’t afford to give up these kinds of buckets.
Gafford with the block.
Do not go up soft against Daniel Gaffford. He will send it right back at you. Out to James. Shot clock at six. Three-pointer. Rebound. Anthony Davis. They’re playing with a lot of energy tonight. We can see that in their dominance on the glass from down low. Marshall can’t hit. And so it’s James with it. He brings it up for the Lakers. They’re leading by eight. Outside. Reeves shoots. It’s rebounded by Dallas and it didn’t fall, but still a great look.
You know, it can be frustrating when you make the right play and fail to reap the rewards. You just have to stay with it here. Russell, that’s good.
Well, the lefty stroke of D’Angelo Russell on display. This is a guard who can be effective with and without the ball.
Reeves. The pass to Vanderbilt. Vincent outside. Back to Vanderbilt. Gafford with the block
and he gets it back. 8sec difference between the shot clock and game clock. Russell. That’s good. Sometimes that mid-range has got to be in play. It will help unlock the three-point game. Boy, D’Angelo Russell a threele scorer.
And the Lakers have possession. It’s a three-point game. They’re coming off that loss against Denver. Defensively, they weren’t up to the task. Didn’t play as a cohesive unit and it really hurt them.
You cannot allow your opponent to shoot that high a percentage. That is going to get you beat night after night.
Vanderbilt with a screen. Here’s the rabbia. Knocks it down from distance and the Lakers lead by six. Oh, what a performance by Luca Donic. He has been the story for the Lakers. Eight points in the quarter, showing how effective he can be. We’ll be right back. [Applause] Hope you’ve enjoyed the broadcast so far. halfway through the first half in this one.
And what do you guys think so far about the offensive approach for the Lakers?
They’ve been really going at the defense in the painted area and so far the opposition really hasn’t had an answer for them.
The other thing that’s gone exceptionally well for them tonight is the shooting they’ve displayed from beyond the three-point arc.
And we’ve seen the league ramp up the series model where teams play each other in the same arena twice in a row. What do you think, Doris?
Ba, I absolutely love this. And more importantly, the coaches seem to engage highly in it because they feel to a certain degree it brings you a level of almost playofflike repetition
on the court for Dallas here in the second. Washington and Gaffer in the combo inside. Kyrie Irving out there with Dante Exom. And it’s Marshall in at the three slot and he recovers it. Pass to Reeves.
Here’s Vanderbilt. And here’s Connect outside. Gafford grabs the miss.
He didn’t make them pay for that weak defense, but they just can’t rely on him to miss those kind of shots. And it’s Washington missing.
You will have to finish harder than that if you want to convert in traffic. Vincent passes to Reeves. Here’s the Rabbia. The three is up. Hits the trifecta. The Rabbia has got six points. And that’s on the defense giving him a decent look. That’s his shot outside. Irving [Applause] and they’re going to count that bucket and they’ll send him to the line. It could be a three-point play.
Come on. That is remarkable work from Kyrie. Ridiculously crafty at how he gets into the defense and draws the foul
on the night. He’s two for two at the strike. Aimura’s checked in for Los Angeles and Dallas with a change here too. Russell has checked in. [Applause] [Applause] If you listen to other NBA players, Kyrie Irving is one of their favorites to watch. He has as complete an offensive arsenal and as pretty a game as there is.
Now, here’s Vanderbilt. He’s scoreless. Oh, a clear foul there on the missed shot. So, he’ll get a pair at the line. First trip to the line for him here. [Applause] shooting two. First free throw is good. [Applause] miss. Both good from the line that time. Second quarter of action. About a minute and a half played. [Applause] [Applause] The shot no good. Good D by Vanderbilt. Good job hitting the glass. They’re plus eight in rebounding. Pass to Reeves.
Get there. Get there. Now here’s Hachimura and he’ll draw the foul. He’ll head to the line for two. Daniel Gford picks one up.
Well, you know Ruie wants to score it. He will not retreat in the face of some tough defense. It’s nicely done. Los Angeles shooting their sixth and seventh free throw attempts tonight. [Applause] Take a break. Take a break. Two shots. [Applause] He misses the free throw. Ruy Hachamura, a guy who is willing to slot into whatever position the team needs him and works hard to help out on every single play. The love the hustle and the attitude and he sinks the second.
The skill set of Ruie Hachamura is enticing guys. a big man who can stretch the floor with his shooting. Obviously of huge value in the modern game.
And there’s a pick. Russell from outside. Pure from three-point range. Russell’s gotten his third basket of the night.
The three-pointer becomes a very high percentage shot when he’s that wide open. You better get a hand in his face. Aimura against Washington. Pass to Reeves. There’s the triple and the rebound goes to Dallas.
Well, you’re trying to answer the three, but you force up a shot that he would have been better off passing up.
Back to Marshall. Washington outside. And here is Irving. Takes it inside over Reeves. And it comes off the front of the rim. And they just continue to dominate the boards. Aimura. The pass to Reeves. I got to
Here’s Labraia. Lets the three fly. Drills it from deep. Labraia’s got six points in the quarter.
Boy, he’s putting pressure on the defense. That’s two from downtown this period.
And so Jason Kidd calls for the timeout. We might see him looking to make some tweaks to the strategy here. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Applause] James has checked in for Vincent Lively. He’s checked in for the Mavericks. Klay Thompson comes in for Russell. Here’s Thompson. Oh, Clay Thompson delivers. Yeah, you keep defenders guessing with the ability to get to that in between game. part of what makes Klay Thompson an all-star.
Pass to Larabia. Here’s Vanderbilt covered by Lively. Here’s James and it’s James with the jam. Attacking the rim with power. Tremendous finish. Closing in on four minutes played here in the second quarter. Now here’s Lively [Applause] Thompson outside. [Applause] Pass to Irving. Yes. And a nice assist from Thompson. Irving’s got five points now in the quarter. We’ve seen that more than once today. An effortless basket inside. [Applause] Los Angeles leading by seven. And here’s Reeves. Hi Murro from long range. And another three for the Lakers. And this is what we’re seeing. Ruy Hachimura understanding I’ve got to expand my range. This is huge for his development.
And so it’s Irving who brings up the ball for the Dallas Mavericks. And at home for the next game, it’ll be Charlotte pulling in to face him. And that kicks off a string of three home games for them. Lively finds Thompson. The three from Washington. Rebound. The Lakers. Vanderbilt’s got five rebounds tonight. They really have a commanding lead, not just in points, but in rebounds as well. [Applause] The Lakers have gotten four of eight shots to drop in the second. Outside Reeves. Here’s Labraia. Nine points in the game. And he drives in. So it’ll be two free throws. He was fouled in the act of shooting.
These are his first free throws of the game. [Applause] Take a break. Take a break. Two shots. First one falls for him. That’s also good. So, he hits both free throws. And it’s the Mavericks with the ball. Down by 12. Washington outside. Pass to Thompson. Here’s Marshall. The three from Washington. That one falls. He’s now one for three. Got to fight harder to get over those screens. You know, we see this all the time. You’re basically, as a defender, hoping the man misses rather than putting in the work to get over screens.
We’ve seen this a million times. James using his incredible hoops IQ and getting to the free throw line.
And this is his second and third free throws tonight. Take a break. Take a break. Two shots. [Applause] First one falls. And Grant, while we want the officials to get it right, I’m sure the league would like to shorten that time officials are at the table. Tell me about it. You wonder if a time limit should be instituted. If they can’t figure it out after a minute or so, just go with how it was called on the floor. Donic has checked in for the Lakers. Hits one, then misses the second attempt from the line.
What’s remarkable about LeBron is the complete command of the game. not only his team, but you’ll hear opponents joke about how well he knows their plays. Now here’s Dantic. Give him eight.
Pass to James. Lively grabs the miss. Lively’s got four rebounds now. [Applause] Vanderbilt against Irving. Now here’s Lively. Back to Irving over Vanderbilt. And Irving the bucket on the assist by Lively. Irving’s got seven points here in the quarter.
Excellent setup. The pre-shot preparation getting into that catch and shoot game. We see it Kyrie
Aimura. The pass to Vanderbilt on the wing. Reeves tipped. Another shot. Vanderville no good.
Mavericks trail by eight. Thompson outside to the middle. Knocked away. James with a steal. Fast rig. Here come the Lakers. Here’s Donic and it’s blocked. What a play as he just snatches the shot out of midair. Davis with it now. Donic defending. Davis. The pass to Irving. Clock at six. Free throw line jumper. Boy, he clanks that one off the back iron and it falls. Irving’s got 14 points.
All right. Defensively now, you’ve got to find a way to slow this guy down because he’s putting it to you. [Applause] Reeves against Thompson. And there’s James from the ark and doesn’t connect. That miss makes him two for five. Here’s Irving. It’s rebounded by Los Angeles. James has got his fifth rebound in this one. Back to Reeves. Watch Mura from long range. Here’s Vanderbilt. And Vanderbilt slams it in. And I’ll tell you what, this is a guy who doesn’t take a break at all on the boards.
Man, doing serious work. He likes being an anchor on the glass. Well, but as defenders keep forgetting to box him out, he continues to just make them pay.
Too strong. Davis for two. And I’ll tell you what, if you’re going to mix it up with Davis, you better be on your game. He’s so powerful inside. The Lakers lead by six. [Applause] Now here’s Donic. Give him eight points now. Pass to Reeves going inside. Stolen by Thompson. Twoon one as they jump out on the break.
Well, even with that shoot first mindset, Klay Thompson willing and able to make a great pass. Impressive looks on the AT&T 5G slam cam. Donic with it. A guy this team turns to often. averaging almost 24 a game. James outside. Oh, James knocks down the triple. The value of good ball movement isn’t lost on this squad. And here is Irving. He’s coming off a 19-point game against Golden State.
And the other thing, guys, he really got after it on the backboards. What a complete game for this guy. Rebound by the Lakers. They held a 12-point lead earlier. Aimura. The pass to Donic.
It’s tipped. Irving with it. Aimura covering. Ooh, he took a hard foul on the shot. So, he’ll head to the line to shoot a pair.
This guy is as difficult to cover as there is in the NBA. Kyrie Irving, the master at drawing contact.
He’s shooting free throws number four and five here. [Applause] That free throw good from Irving and the Lakers making a change here. Goodwin’s checked in. [Applause] And that one goes in two from the line that time. This is how you stay in the game. They’re doing a beautiful job from the line. 100% this quarter.
And so JJ Reick calls for the timeout. He wants to give him a breather and talk things over. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Larvy has checked in for the Lakers. Marshall, he’s checked in for the Mavericks. Now, a moment to take a look at the year-to-year scoring output and how it’s been trending for Klay Thompson. and the scoring trend over the last few years has been going down a bit. That’s not what you want and I’m sure it’s something he’s well aware of. [Applause] Here’s James. He’s got nine pass to Donic. James outside and there’s the screen from outside the ark
and the rebound goes to the Mavericks to the wing on the left. [Applause] and the three off target. The Lakers lead by five. Here’s Goodwin. Here’s Donic. Oh, Luca like a bull in there.
Well, there’s a mix of touch and power that Luca Donuch brings to the game. You can’t take him lightly when he touches the paint. Check by James. DeAndre Aton. He’s checked in for the Lakers. Reeves comes in for Goodwin. [Applause] Marshall passes to Thompson. Davis against Achimura. Six to shoot. [Applause] Here’s Marshall.
14 points his last outing. Donic outside and he was fouled in the act of shooting. Opportunity for a three-point play here.
Well, the hoop and the harm. Luca Donic, the finish. And he’ll get an opportunity to add to that.
And he’s got his first opportunity at the line here tonight. [Applause] What’s up? [Applause] That’s good from Donic. Luca Donuch has established himself as a perennial candidate for MVP. He controls the game with the basketball in his hands. He is an incredible driver and he makes the game easy for the guy.
Oh, Davis finish it off the lob. Throw it AD’s way and he’ll take care of the rest. A huge alley target for his teammates. Los Angeles leading by eight. on the wing. Reeves defended by Thompson.
Pass to James. Donic outside. We are talking about a clever scorer. Luca Donuch has developed such a knack for getting to the free throw line.
He made the only free throw attempt he had earlier in the game. [Applause] Take a break. Take a break. Two shots. That free throw no good. Boy, Luca’s strength, his size, his savvy puts him at the free throw line so often. And the second free throw is good.
He does a great job of drawing contact and getting himself to the line. something he didn’t do in the first period.
Pass to Lively. [Applause] A minute 15 left in the first half of this game. And a moment to check out who the Los Angeles Lakers have coming up. On Thursday, they’ll be taking on Rudy Goar and the Minnesota Timberwolves. And then Friday, they’ll be matching up against Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers. And for that game against the Pelicans, anything can happen in the NBA, but they’ll be a heavy favorite, and it would take a total meltdown for them to lose. [Applause] And he knocks down the first one. [Applause] [Applause] Second free throw no good. They are just owning the boards right now. Pass to Reeves beyond the ark. That one falls. Great setup by Dantic. Reeves has got eight points.
You see the attention Luca draws. That’s why his teammates get so many wideopen looks. Mavericks trail by 11. Marshall passes to Lively. And here’s Davis over Mura. Davis can’t hit. Los Angeles shooting 46% a decent average so far. Here’s Aiden. That one drops. Three for six now.
I just love the ball movement. Dallas has gone two of six from distance here in the second quarter. Outside Davis. 26 seconds left in the half. Shot clock at five. Pass to Lively. Shoots over Aton. Lively shot is off.
A fadeaway. Not a terrible idea, but he needs to make the game easier on himself. He’s over complicating things. Donic passes to James. They get it back. Oh, he hangs in there and cashes in on the second chance points. And the Lakers lead by 15. And so we’ve reached the end of the first half of play. The Lakers on top up by 15. And don’t go away. After the break, we’ll see you right back here for the start of quarter number three. [Applause] Fairly easy stretch for them. could even have some blowouts, allowing them to rest their stars a little bit. That would be their best case scenario, but then again, bestlaid plans. And let’s move on now to that first half. Obviously, a lot of work to do for the Mavericks. They’re getting destroyed inside. I’m pretty sure even Kenny could get a layup on them right now.
Shaq, I’d get a layup on you every time. You know what I’m saying? Like my my pick and roll game was just phenomenal. That does it for halftime. Let’s get back to game action. Here’s Brian Anderson with the start of the third quarter. [Applause] And as we dive into the second half, we’ll find out if the next two quarters are any different from the first two. So far, it’s been a runaway. Well, you look at Kyrie Irving in this game. He’s been everywhere. They’ve leaned on him to provide a lot of offense, and that’s how he likes it.
And one would expect that the defense made some adjustments at halftime, but he has the ability to answer right back. [Applause] And so it’s Irving who brings up the ball for the Mavericks. 15-point game. Reeves at the two with LeBron at the three. DeAndre Aiden is out there with Ruachimura. And it’s Donuchin at the point. That’s who’s in the game for the Lakers. Now Donic outside Reeves. Donic no good. Mavericks trail by 13. Davis with it. Aimura covering. AD off the bounce. Uses the glass to finish the layup. Davis has got eight. Yeah, between his length and touch, Davis is the perfect interior player. Davis has gone 80% from the field. Four of five shooting. Aimura finds Aton who poked away. [Applause] Out of bounds. It’ll be Lakers ball. And on the 2K leaderboard, the teams that have stonewalled offenses over the last month. Number one, Los Angeles. The Mavericks fourth. And over the last month, both teams have been playing excellent defense, really working hard to prevent other teams from scoring a lot on them. Los Angeles leading by 11. [Applause] James outside. Second half of basketball. Just over a minute played so far.
Almost seems unfair, gentlemen, to have a guy as strong as LeBron be able to handle the ball the way he does. The Mavericks shooting at a 48% clip from the floor. Back to Thompson outside. Davis, switch
from deep. LeBron with the rebound. James has got six rebounds now in the game. From deep. Reeves nails it from beyond the ark. 11 points in the game. lackluster defense showing no desire to chase shooters off that line from the right block. Here’s Irving and a good offensive board and he gets the bucket.
Well, this is one of the best in the league at converting off contact. What body control by Kyrie Irving. Here’s Donic again. The Lakers. Boy, everyone is getting to their spots and then capitalizing. Three for four in the quarter. Beautiful. Now here’s Thompson. Five points in the game. Driving in and the foul is called. He missed it. So he’s got a couple of free throws coming his way. It’s going to be on DeAndre Aton.
Well, the hard charging approach of Klay Thompson paying dividends with the foul call. Hey, they like to see that kind of aggressiveness. [Applause] Take a break. Take a break. Two shots. [Applause] And he drops a first. Well, the pure shooting stroke is the first thing you think of with Klay Thompson, but I think as impressive is what he gives you on the defensive end of the floor. Klay Thompson is as hard a worker as there is in the NBA. [Applause] Both free throws good from Thompson. The Lakers lead by 14. A little under two and a half minutes gone by in the third quarter.
Outside Reeves pass to Donic. Six on the shot clock and count it. Eight of 14 now. He’s rolling.
This guy is cooking right now. He is leading them on the offensive end as they remain in front here. And we’ve got a timeout from Jason Kidd. He’ll take the opportunity to regroup. You know, one guy who’s been getting it done is Luca Donuch.
Boy, he’s been relentless. And to this point, they haven’t had an answer for him on the inside. Let’s see if they make some adjustments coming out of the timeout. [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Applause] pass to Irving. Aimura against Davis. Lively with a screen on Aimura. Down low. Stolen by Aiden. It’s blocked. Out of bounds as Los Angeles keeps possession. It’s time to take a glance again at that superb block. What a play. I mean, that’ll have the offense thinking twice about taking shots in his presence. [Applause] Donic against Irving. Donic feeling it out a bit outside. Reeves just four to shoot. Offensive rebound. Oh, and there’s the whistle on the shot. So, two free throws for him coming up. Klay Thompson picks one up.
This guy is such an intelligent basketball player who understands how to read defenses and make them react. Go to work, DeAndre Aton.
This is his first opportunity at the line this evening. [Applause] First free throw is good.
I think what you like most about DeAndre Aton is probably how efficient he is on the offensive end. Now, obviously the next step, he’s got to raise his game and defensive intensity on that end of the floor. [Applause] Aiden hits them both.
And we know Aiden has all the tools to be a top big man in this league. He just needs to show it on a nightly basis. Irving the pass to Thompson. [Applause] Second half here and we’re just over three and a half minutes into it. Pass break. Here come the Lakers and Donic the bucket on the assist by Reeves. Reeves has got his fourth assist with that last one. And so it’s Irving with it. He brings it up for Dallas. Thompson outside and looks like an illegal pick was set. That gets the ref’s attention. Taking a look at some numbers here for Daniel Gaffford.
And over the last five games, his field goal percentage has increased. And you can make a case his confidence as well because of this. Marshall, he’s checked in for Thompson. And here are the Lakers. They’re on a 13-4 run.
Get outside. Get outside. Donic against Irving. Donic. No good. Mavericks trail by 20. Right side. Irving fires from deep. That’s in there. Davis with the assist. Davis has got four assists now tonight. Los Angeles has gone one of two shooting from the perimeter since halftime. Donic against Irving. Pass to James. And right away they match it with a three-pointer of their own. James has got 14. The response from the king. Still has that competitive fire. Outside Irving. Oh, it’s stolen by Donic. Now here’s Reeves. Donic. Left side out to James. Misses the three
for Dallas. They’ve gone four of six from the floor in this third quarter. Oh, got that one up quick. Irving’s got nine points now in the second half. And
I’ll tell you, tough first half puts it in the rear view. The shooting percentage starting to reflect that.
Pass to Donic. Lets it go from the wing. Lively grabs a miss.
Well, you simply have to shake that one off, right? You can’t let that kind of missed opportunity bother you. [Applause] Irving with it. He’s got 25. No good with the triple from deep. Here’s Donic. Hits a three-pointer. Donic has got 23 points. Listen, this guy has off the charts basketball IQ. Luca Donic understands when to get into that pullup game.
And so Jason Kidd calls for the timeout. Coach wants to speak to his guys, maybe alter some of the game plan. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Applause] Exoms checked in for Dallas. Now that we have a chance, let’s check out the teams that are scoring the most points off turnovers. The Mavericks number one, Los Angeles second. But each one of these teams are adept at not just forcing turnovers, but also cashing in once they take away the ball. [Applause] Outside Irving Lively with a screen on Donic. Here’s Irving and counted from 12 ft. Irving’s got 11 here in the quarter alone.
Well, individually he is doing everything he can in this 12minute session, but he’s just not getting enough help. Outside Reeves pass to Donic and they doubled up Donic. Now here’s Reeves. He’s guarded by Exom. Five to shoot. The Lakers got to get one up. Late clock. Aton deflected and they recover it. And there’s the shot clock violation. Couldn’t get the shot off in time. Labas checked in for Aimura. [Applause] Here’s Marshall. Checked by James. On the wing, Davis. Give him eight points now. Here’s Exum. That one falls coming off Davis feed. Davis has got his fifth assist in this one.
Well, Dante Exom knocking down shots will put a smile on this team’s face. He continues to work on the offensive end. James with the ball. Marshall’s there. Double team on James.
Six to shoot. And there’s contact and a whistle. So, he’s got two shots coming up.
You can see Luca Donic has the body, the handle, the footwork, and the savvy to draw fouls. That is nicely done.
And let’s take a moment here to get your take, guys, on the scoring so far for the Lakers. Their offensive game plan has been simple. Look to shoot it often from outside the arc. And the results have been outstanding.
I think it’s also important we mention the number of assists this group has tallied. Their offense continues to just hum along right now.
The first free throw is good. that misses. So he splits the free throws. Mavericks trail by 17. Outside Irving pass to Davis. And here’s Exum. Check by James. [Applause] Exum passes to Marshall over Reeves. Marshall can’t hit. The Lakers lead by 17. And here’s James.
He’s got 14. And the ball goes out of bounds. Last touch by Donic.
That almost looked like bad communication. You hate to see that kind of mistake. Just a superb read on defense to come up with a block.
Now that was a block. Some much needed energy there to jump start them back into this game. Dallas has gotten two of four threes to fall here in this third quarter. Irving the pass to Lively. Exom outside. Pass to Lively. Four on the clock. Dallas needs to get off a shot. Here’s Marshall and he’s going to the line for two. The officials saw contact while he was going up. It’s his first trip to the line. Take a break. Take a break. Two shots. [Applause] First one falls for him. A different look for Dallas. Gafford. He’s checked in for Lively. And D’Angelo Russell subbed in for Irving. And so he hits both. And they’ve done well from the free throw line this half. No misses yet.
The Lakers lead by 15. Here’s Reeves. 11 points in the game. Aiden passes to James. Now Donic [Applause] and denied. He sends it right off the glass. Here’s Russell up top. Davis releases from the top of the key. He buries it. Davis has gotten four this quarter.
I’ll tell you what a night. He has been efficient. He’s been strong. Unfortunately, they’re still fighting an uphill battle. [Applause] The three. James. The Mavericks pull it in. Davis has got six rebounds here tonight. [Applause] Pass to Exom. The three from Russell. Sinks the tray. Russell’s got 11 points.
Arguably the most dangerous weapon in D’Angelo Russell’s arsenal. This guy is a problem for the defense.
Up top, Aiden. Back to Reeves. Russell against Donic. Donic is doubled. Nice finish from Luca.
Well, they’re leading in large part because of the work he’s put in in this quarter. This is nicely done.
Exom outside. Back to Davis and he cranks it down right on top of DeAndre Aton. And that’s unbelievable. Davis skyhigh doing his thing. Once again, an explosive highlight on the AT&T 5G slam cam. And Reeves has got the ball here for the Lakers. Pass to Larabia. Aiden against Gafford. Reeves with the ball. Larabia passes to James. Here’s Labia. Jacks up a three. Excellent D there from Davis. There’s a minute 40 left in the third quarter. And he was fouled while in the act of shooting. So he’ll take two free throws. You can’t let Davis get established positioning inside. If he does, you have to foul him.
He’s got his first free throws of the night right here. Take a break. Take a break. Two shots. Subbed in for Luca Donic. Washington’s checked in for the Mavericks. He does not get the second one.
The Lakers lead by nine. Vincent passes to Reeves. A minute and a half left in the third. Vanderbilt. A screen on Russell. Pass to Labravia and a miss there on the triple. Yeah, and the defense has really got to tighten up on him. I mean, he’s just too dangerous from the three-point line. Good. What persistence from AD?
They’re really looking to that inside game here in the second half. Getting away from taking a bunch of threes. The Lakers shooting 42% in this third quarter. Here’s the Rabia. Oh, plenty of contact on that shot. Officials call the foul and he’ll take two free throws now.
Man, the defender really went after him. [Applause] And he can’t get the first one. And the Lakers making a change here. Aimura’s checked in. Good on the second one. One minute left in the third. Mavericks trail by eight. Davis the pass to Washington. And he lobbs it up top and Davis slams it home. You know the best thing about AD is he can contribute in every statistical category. [Applause] Now here’s Vincent. He’s got five. Pass to Larabia. Here’s the three. Fires in the triple. Lavia’s got four points in the quarter. I’ll tell you, you are playing with fire anytime you leave this guy open. And they just got burned. 35 seconds left in the third quarter of the game. Davis against Achimura. Washington passes to Russell. [Applause] Outside Davis clock at four. Off target from outside on the wing. Aimura checked by Davis. Here’s Vincent. The layup off target. [Applause] And that’ll do it for the third quarter. It’s Los Angeles up by nine. All right, we’re going to step aside for just a second, but join us right back here for the start of quarter number four next. All right, let’s listen in. Head coach Jason Kidd is miked up.
One possession at a time. No offensive rebound and help and talk to each other on defense.
Defensive rebounding a big emphasis for Jason Kidd and something he’ll continue to harp on. Well, that’s the thing. If you start giving it up on the offensive glass, very few things in this game are more deflating. And this is it. Glad to have you along for this fourth quarter. On the court right now for Dallas, Washington and Gaffford. The combo inside. Kyrie Irving out there with D’Angelo Russell. And it’s Marshall in at the three. Small forward. And the dunk by Gaffford. Emphatic finishes are becoming routine for Mr. Gaffford. [Applause] And so James will bring it up for Los Angeles. Their biggest lead of the game was 21. Vanderbilt. The pass to Arabia. Powered down after the assist led him to the lane.
Attacking the rim with power. Tremendous finish. Mavericks trail by nine. Gafford with a screen on James. Irving for three. Hachimura with a rebound.
Aimura’s got four rebounds now. Here’s James. Oh, LeBron just too much to handle inside. Even though he’s a little older now. Wow. LeBron can still rip off some incredible moves. A little over a minute of the fourth quarter gone now. James against Irving. Gafford with a screen on James. Irving for three. Oh wow. Drew the contact and that three almost went in. So he’ll go to the line for three free throws. It’s on LeBron James. [Applause] shots. Three shots. [Applause] And he hits the first of three. [Applause] [Applause] He hits the second from the line. [Applause] makes it and he continues to shoot well from the line. Los Angeles shooting a solid 47%. Pass to Vanderbilt. [Applause] Good and just about a minute and a half gone by in the fourth. Irving looking around. Goes up from the top of the key. Shot is good. Off the back rim and in. Irving’s got 16 points here in the second half. Rising to the challenge. He’s given them everything he’s got. Pass to Labraia. They swipe it. Russell with the ball. Vincent picks him up now. Irving [Applause] goes up from the block and too long on the shot. Los Angeles leading by eight. And here’s James outside. Vanderbilt. Pass to Labraia. Aimura outside. Vanderbilt inside. He’s guarded by Irving. Down to five on the shot clock. Here’s Vincent. It’s stolen by Washington. The three from Russell. Oh, he’s locked in. Drains his fifth shot in his many attempts. He’s been hot from out there, helping to keep them in this game.
And you don’t need to tell him that. He’s used the three-point shot as his primary weapon today. [Applause] Just about three minutes through the fourth in the final quarter here. Aimura the pass to Jane. Tried to come right back with a three of his own, but it’s no good. Mavericks trail by five to the paint. Stolen by Vanderbilt. It’s a threeon-ree fast break. Here’s Aimura. Left side Vanderbilt. Clock at six. To the inside. Here’s Vincent.
And the rebound goes to the Mavericks.
Well, this has not been his finest hour, but give your teammates some credit for doing the job of stepping in. Here’s Irving. James with the block.
That size and length and strength. LeBron, a tough one to try to shoot over. [Applause] Shooting two. [Applause] [Applause] He’s off on the first. DeAndre Eaton. He’s checked in for the Lakers. And Dallas also making a switch. Thompson, he’s checked in for Russell. [Applause] And he’s good on the second. Just a tough miss at the line. They’re down two baskets now.
And so JJ Reic calls for the timeout. He’s looking to make some very important adjustments here. Heat. Heat. [Applause] And let’s send it over to Alli Leforce. I was able to listen in on what JJ Reick was going over with his team. He was clapping in the huddle, saying to his guys, loving the effort right now, keep the intensity on them. Leave no doubt in their mind that this game is ours, guys. Back to you,
Ally. Thank you. And so it’s James with it. He brings it up for Los Angeles.
Their biggest lead of the game was 21. Pass to Aimura. Hayden with a screen to get back on track and it’s good off the back rim and in. Mavericks trail by six. Here’s Marshall. Washington outside. Thompson with it. Checked by James. Again, the miss by the Mavericks and the defense got away with one there. I mean that’s the shot he typically makes. Pass to Marshall. Gather against Aimura outside Irving. [Applause] Count the basket and the foul.
That’s on Gabe Vincent.
Well, Kyrie may be the best finishing guard in the history of the game. his ability to contort his body or spin the basketball. Ridiculous. Some changes for Los Angeles. Vanderbilts checked in for Larabia. Reeves comes in for LeBron. And Luca Donuch subbed in for Vincent. [Applause] One shot. Here’s [Applause] Reeves. Up top, Aiden. Reeves against Thompson. shoots from the right block and dodges the bucket on the assist by Reeves. Reeves has got assist number five here tonight. Here’s Irving. [Applause] [Applause] Pass to Marshall. Shot clock at six. Thompson with it. Fires for three. Oh, Thompson buries the tray. One of the most effortless strokes we’ve ever seen. Thompson can just make corner threes in his sleep. Aimura. The pass to Reeves. [Applause] Now Vanderbilt. Here’s Donic. And it’s blocked by Irving. Big time block from Kyrie Irving. Guys love seeing him hustle on that end.
That ties the game. It’s winning time. And that’s a winning play. The Lakers have gotten five shots out of nine to go in this fourth. Donic passes to Aimura. Back to Donic. You see the strength?
Well, you love his effort level, right? Particularly when it’s winning time. He is going for the finish. Dallas has gone two of four from the perimeter here in the fourth quarter. Washington a screen on Donic. Irving for three and Aiden pulls it down. They’ve been dominating the boards tonight, yet it’s still a close game. Aimura, the pass to Vanderbilt. Now, Donic, he’s guarded by Irving. Donic against Irving. Back to Donic. Oh, this guy is so effective with the pump fake. Luca Donuch gets the defender off his feet. Beautiful. [Applause] [Applause] And he knocks down the first LeBron, he’s checked in for Vanderbilt. And Dallas making a change here. Donic hits them both. Irving with it. [Applause] Pass to Lively. Davis with it outside. Irving. Check by James. Lively with a screen on Aimura. Davis from long range. Lively
and a slam dunk by Lively.
There is an Soft touch off the glass. Donic has got 34 points
for Dallas. They’ve gotten seven of 12 shots to drop in this fourth quarter. And here is Irving. Oh, rejected by Eightton.
Outstanding shot clocker. DeAndre Aton off his feet in a hurry to send it back. Back to Reeves. Pass to Donuch. And they doubled up. Donic. Now here’s Hachimura. Shoots over Davis. And the rebound goes to Dallas. Lively’s got nine rebounds in the game. Boy, he’s getting it done. The big man AD down low. They are passing the ball around tremendously right now. Donic. A screen on Thompson.
Donic outside. He drops it from range. Donic has got 37.
Donic has been in this position many times. He makes it look easy.
Irving the pass to Davis. Back to Irving. Puts up a three. Rebound by the Lakers. Hayden’s got his 16th rebound on the night. You love their effort. They’ve owned the glass tonight. Donic outside. Aton. A screen on Irving and he lobbs it up to the rim. It’s stolen by Lively. [Applause] Irving with it. Picked up by James
and it’s Irving missing.
Well, I love the determination, guys. It’s simply not there for him right now. Pass to Reeves. Back to Aimura. Outside Reeves takes the three and Kyrie Irving clears the rebound. Irving’s got six rebounds here tonight. Up and over. Donic. Irving. That’s good. Irving’s got 38 points,
guys. It doesn’t get much bigger than that. Irving coming up huge right there with the bucket. Donic against Irving. Aton screen on Irving. Here’s Donic. Lively grabs the miss. Lively’s got doubledigit rebounds now in the game. Shot is up and Davis gets it to go on the assist by Thompson. Thompson’s got three assists in the game. What an emphatic bucket by Davis. This is a guy who never backs down or gives up. Donic against Irving. Hachimura outside. Drains the triple. Hachimura’s got five points in the quarter.
Ruy Hachamura doesn’t shy away from the pressure and he delivers. Irving against Donic. Lively with a screen on Donic inside and a slam dunk by Lively that gives him a double double. And once he gets to the rim, it’s fairly automatic.
Nothing fancy right there. Just takes his two points, moves on. Reeves against Thompson. Reeves the pass to Aton. And there’s the rejection. They recover it. Reeves finds James. A screen on Irving. Donic. Shot is good. Donic has got 39. That’s one of those clutch shots he’s known for. When the pressure is high, he seems to be the most locked in outside. Irving stolen by Aton now. The Lakers moving it up. Pass to Reeves from downtown. And the Lakers hit again from deep. They have a relentless mentality even with the game in total control. This is a textbook example of playing the possession and not the score. This team is doing a great job continuing to execute.
Dallas calls timeout. There’s 42 seconds left to play in the fourth. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. There’s 42 seconds left in the final quarter. Irving time finds Lively and it’s the Lakers on the break and the officials whistle a foul on the shot. The bucket is good and he’ll go to the line.
You got to give them respect. They’re doing everything they can to close this out.
Well, just terrific teamwork. Each guy doing his part. You love what you’re seeing from them tonight. Well, you love a guy who gets himself to the line, takes his time, and makes the free throws. Complete professional.
I hate to say it, but I’m pretty sure we can close the book on this one. Well, it’s been a hard-fought battle through much of the night. They just missed out on a couple of opportunities they’d love to do over.
Everyone in the building saw the obvious contact. Shoot two. So the first one drops and that brings him within single digits. [Applause] Both free throws good from Irving. 27 seconds left to play in the fourth quarter. And here’s Donic. He’ll bring it up for the Lakers. Aimura outside. Back to Donic and a foul called on the way up. So he’ll take two from the free throw line. The understated part of Luca Dantric’s game, his strength. He is going to draw contact and usually make it. [Applause] [Applause] First free throw is good and that’ll put him up by nine. [Applause] Second free throw. No good that time. He really wanted that one. He did enough to put this one away. Just a hard fought battle. So, it’s Los Angeles picking up the win. A competitive game. You have to feel like this crowd gave him a little extra edge. Yeah, they really fed off the energy. You saw their activity level go up. Just a tremendous performance.
Well, now a minute to check in with Ally Leforce. She’s courtside. Hey, Ally. LeBron, that was an impressive win. What did it take to get it done tonight? It’s a really good team that we’re playing. They’re very resilient, just like us. They play together. They play hard. They play tough. So, we had to bring that fight tonight.
You brought it. It paid off. Congrats.
All right, Ally. Good stuff there. Thanks for that. And that’ll wrap it up, folks. For Grant Hill, Ally Leforce, and Doris Burke, and the rest of our 2K team, this is Brian Anderson signing off. And we present the player of the game, Luca Donuch.
NBA Live! Los Angels Lakers vs Dallas Mavericks | Luka vs Flag | Dallas vs lakers | NBA 2K25
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