Mavericks vs. Lakers: The Mega Preview

Luka Dončić faces the Mavericks for the first time

Photo by Gina Ferazzi / Getty Images

February 2nd, the day Nico Harrison shocked the world by trading Luka Dončić to the Lakers for Anthony Davis and Max Christie, feels like ages ago. But at the same time, it still feels unreal, hard to grasp watching Dončić play in purple and gold next to his childhood idol, LeBron James.

When I take Lakers game notes, I still catch myself writing 'Mavs' next to Dončić’s name, so I guess it will take a while to fully process. This game, no matter how emotional or awkward it might feel, is probably better off getting out of the way. Because the new reality is that this trade will link the two franchises forever, and this is just the first of many high-stakes, high-energy, ultra-competitive matchups between Dončić and his old club.

This game should also be a lot of fun. You can’t ask for a more high-profile regular season matchup. On Saturday, Dončić finally looked like himself again, smiling, dominating, and leading the Lakers to a win over Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets. His coach J.J. Redick had challenged him to deliver at least one blackout episode before that game. I don’t think Dončić will need that extra push for this one, nor will any of his new or old teammates for that matter. I expect the most motivated and locked-in Luka we’ve seen yet, because everything we’ve seen and heard from him since the trade shows just how disappointed and frustrated he’s been. Maybe we see a blackout, and the 'asshole' Luka shows up—the one Mavs fans remember torching Devin Booker or Rudy Gobert. Or maybe Kyrie Irving and company, who have kept fighting and winning against all odds despite everything going on, show they have no interest in playing a supporting role in a Hollywood script and spoil the revenge.

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Mavs (31-27) @ Lakers (34-21) game facts

Rest: DAL on 1 day of rest; LAL on 2 days of rest

DAL vs LAL 2024-25 record: 1-0 (first matchup observations)

LAL 2024-25 home record: 19-7

DAL 2024-25 away record: 13-16

LAL streak: Won 2 in a row, 8-2 in last 10

DAL streak: Lost 1, 5-5 in last 10

DAL injuries: Anthony Davis (OUT), Dereck Livelly II (OUT), Daniel Gafford (OUT), Caleb Martin (OUT), Dwight Powell (OUT), P.J. Washington (questionable)

LAL injuries: Maxi Kleber (OUT), LeBron James (probable)

DAL projected starting 5: Kyrie Irving (G), Dante Exum (G), Klay Thompson (F), P.J. Washington (F), Kessler Edwards (F)

LAL projected starting 5: Luka Dončić (G), Austin Reaves (G), Rui Hachimura (F), LeBron James (F), Jaxson Hayes (C)

LAL rotation:

DAL rotation:

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Three key questions heading into the game

1. Which version of Luka Dončić will show up?

2. Which team will bring more energy and force while staying under control?

3. How soon do we see matchup hunting on both sides?

What the Lakers need to do to win

I often write about tactics and style of play in my previews, but while both will matter tonight, I don't think either will decide this game. Which team plays with more energy, more force, and which team is flying around the court will. J.J. Redick talks about playing hard, conviction in the game plan, and how he barely slept while preparing for the Denver game. If he, LeBron James, the rest of the team, and Dončić himself bring that same level of attention to detail and effort (and with two full days to prepare, I have a feeling they might), it will be very hard for the Mavericks to keep up.

The other thing the Lakers will need is Dončić playing like he did in Denver. If he’s aggressive and making shots, the Lakers, with James and Austin Reaves in the lineup, become a nightmare to defend. Especially when all three are on the court together, it’s almost impossible for opponents to keep their weakest defenders out of the action. Simple screens or sets involving two of them—or even all three—force mismatches almost every time. The Lakers ran 59 direct pick actions against Denver, with 40 of them involving either Nikola Jokić or Jamal Murray as the screener's defender. I expect this game to feel even more like a playoff matchup when it comes to hunting mismatches, almost from the first possession. Dončić, James, and Reaves will look to attack smaller Kyrie Irving and other weaker matchups like Spencer Dinwiddie and Klay Thompson. Even a solid on-ball defender like Max Christie might struggle with the sheer size and strength of Dončić and James.

The key for the Lakers is to avoid settling for quick threes like they did against Charlotte and instead attack the paint against the undersized, center-less Mavericks. Since January 25th, no team in the NBA has allowed more points in the paint or a higher frequency of opponent shots at the rim than Dallas.

On defense, I expect the Lakers to replicate the strategy they used against Jokić, this time against Irving, similar to what the Warriors did on Sunday. That means being aggressive with him, picking him up in the backcourt, switching on ball screens, and providing early and frequent help by sagging off every Mavericks shooter not named Thompson or Christie. I also expect Redick to apply pressure by rotating his high-effort defenders—Dorian Finney-Smith, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, and Jordan Goodwin—on Irving throughout the game.

What the Mavericks need to do to win