Player Grades: Breaking down a 118-97 thrashing of the Los Angeles Lakers

The Mavericks snapped their season-highest 5 game losing streak with a blowout win on the second night of a back-to-back, as their supporting cast stepped up in Doncic & Irving’s absence to whup the Lakers.

The losing streak is over. The shorthanded Dallas Mavericks blew out the Los Angeles Lakers by 21pts 118-97 on the second night of a back-to-back and snapped a 5-game losing streak. They took the lead with a flurry of Klay Thompson threes at the end of the 2^nd quarter and never looked back. Five players scored in double figures as the Mavericks won to keep pace in the Western Conference without their 2 superstars.

Kyrie Irving (Lumbar Back Sprain) missed his 3^rd straight game while Luka Doncic (Left Calf Strain) missed his 7^th straight game. There was positive news though as Luka was moving around without the scooter and even took a couple of shots pregame while chatting with Lakers forward (and Mavericks fan favorite) Dorian Finney-Smith. Daniel Gafford sat out the game with a Left Ankle sprain. From what Jason Kidd said postgame after the loss at Memphis last night, this could be a prolonged absence.

This was a great start to a 4-game homestand with a comfortable win in difficult circumstances. The shots were finally falling with the Mavericks shooting 47% from beyond the arc, going 18/38 from 3. After squandering double-digit leads in their 5 preceding losses, the Mavs finally held on and finished the job led by timely shot-making and great defense. Granted, the Lakers aren’t a great team, but Dallas looked comfortable and played with great effort for all 4 quarters. In this difficult stretch pre-All-Star break, that’s crucial in keeping pace in the West

Let’s look at how the Mavericks graded out in a bounce-back win against the Lakers:

Spencer Dinwiddie: A

19 Points/6 Rebounds/8 Assists/1 Steal

Spencer rebounded from his funk from the last few games in a revenge game against Los Angeles. While he didn’t do well shooting from beyond the arc, he was efficient from the field overall going 8/15 overall for his 19pts. He had a great passing game too with 8 assists and only 3 TOs leading to a team-leading plus-24 for the game. This was great from Dinwiddie who was quick with his decision-making, something the Mavericks sorely need in the absence of their 2 superstars.

Klay Thompson: B+

13 Points/0 Rebounds/2 Assists/1 Steal

Klay had an OK game. It wasn’t a statistical breakout game as such, but he hit timely shots. His 3 straight 3-pointers at the end of the 1^st half were key in changing the flow of the game. The Mavericks never looked back after that. He played hard defense on Lebron on switches and was a positive playmaker. His gravity after those 3-pointers unlocked the offense for the team with the Mavericks running multiple drive & kicks that led to open shots on most possessions. If the Mavs can utilise this more effectively in Doncic & Irving’s absence, it might help when the offense is struggling.

P.J. Washington: A

22 Points/8 Rebounds/1 Steal

PJ finally got his shot going after a few games with very inefficient shooting. He was 9/14 from the floor and hit all his 3pt shots. The Mavericks need more of this PJ going forward. He was aggressive and in control on the offensive end and his float game was on point. The one positive of both the superstars’ absence is the development of the secondary stars and if PJ can get going like this more often, it’ll be lights out when Doncic & Irving return.

Dereck Lively: C

7 Points/6 Rebounds/3 Assists

Lively had a hard time against AD & Lebron and spent most of the game in foul trouble, playing only 20mins. Lively is going to have to play more in Gafford’s absence and is going to have to figure out how to eliminate or reduce the dumb fouls that he accumulates. Lively is showing a lot of sophomore inconsistency, but the hope is that it’ll settle down when the Mavericks make the playoffs, and the game naturally becomes more physical.

Naji Marshall: C-

7 Points/5 Rebounds/2 Assists/1 Steal

Naji’s struggles since he came back from his illness & suspension have been very evident. He was the worst Maverick from a plus-minus standpoint, finishing a -13 in his 29mins. He was inefficient going 2/11 from the floor and 1/6 from the 3pt line. Naji’s drive & float game is dependent on him hitting his outside shot as it opens up the floor. The Lakers were quite happy to let him shoot, and they were right to. On the plus side, it was great to see a big lineup with Naji as the secondary ballhandler to start the game. It allows the team to match up against physically bigger teams without sacrificing playmaking which may prove critical going forward this season.

Quentin Grimes: A+

23 Points/9 Rebounds/6 Assists/1 Steal

What more needs to be said about Grimes? He led the Mavericks in scoring off the bench with an efficient scoring effort going 8/17 from the field and 6/11 from the 3pt line. Grimes brought his trademark effort with 9(!) rebounds and showed off his playmaking with 6 assists. His positive play in Doncic & Irving’s absence makes his Restricted Free Agency more interesting in the offseason but shouldn’t be a major issue going forward.

Maxi Kleber: A

5 Points/3 Rebounds/5 Assists/1 Steal

Maxi was great in this game. He was the first big off the bench in Gafford’s absence, ahead of Dwight Powell, as Kidd played a more 5-out game. He was aggressive in driving to the basket, not necessarily to score but to force the defense to adapt and this paid big dividends in this game. He finished the game with 5 Assists(!) and his physical play was key in keeping Anthony Davis in check while Lively was in foul trouble. Maxi is going to play more in Gafford’s absence and it’s promising to see him play like this. He finished the game as a +21 which was second on the team behind Spencer Dinwiddie.

Jaden Hardy: B+

15 Points/3 Rebounds/2 Assists/1 Steal

Jaden Hardy was Jaden Hardy, but this was a positive in this game. His shot-making was key in keeping the Lakers at bay – his 3 straight 3s in the middle of the 4^th quarter broke LA’s attempt at a comeback. He even got a shout out on the TNT show, which is a mixed bag to be honest.

Like Josh said on the podcast, if his focus is kept to scoring then he’s quite good. When he’s made to be a playmaker, his flaws are more apparent. In all this time without Doncic & Irving, the Mavericks need consistent scoring and Hardy provides that. It’s just his irrational confidence in his abilities that holds him back from a more solid role.

Olivier-Maxence Prosper: B+

3 Points/3 Rebounds/1 Assist

O-Max only played 5mins in this game, but he was positive. His energy was contagious, and his hard drives ensured that Jaxson Hayes remained a non-entity with foul trouble. O-Max’s shot might not be there yet, but he’s able to bring some energy & physicality in these games in short bursts which might be the best route going forward in his development.

Brandon Williams, Dwight Powell: B+

4 Points/1 Rebound/0 Assists

They don’t probably deserve a grade considering they played only 90 seconds of garbage time, but in a game with so many positives, it’s only fair to add them to the list. Williams took it to Bronny when he checked in and scored 4 quick points, making this a 20pt win.