Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Quentin Grimes was the unlikely hero for Dallas Tuesday as the injury-hit Mavericks out-classed LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers 118-97 to snap a five-game NBA losing streak. Grimes came off the bench to score 23 points and grab nine rebounds, drilling six of the Mavericks’ 18 three-pointers.
Dallas, last season’s Western Conference champions, had gone 1-5 since losing Luka Doncic to a calf strain on Christmas Day. Still without the Slovenian star, they announced on Monday that Kyrie Irving would be sidelined for some time with a lower back sprain. Down by as many as six in the second quarter, the Mavs closed the first half on an 11-0 scoring run to take a 55-50 lead and never trailed in the second half.
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Anthony Davis scored 21 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for the Lakers, and James added 18 points, 10 boards, and eight assists. But Dallas out-rebounded the Lakers 44-33 and, with 11 offensive rebounds, managed 15 second-chance points to the Lakers’ seven. P.J. Washington scored 22 points, Spencer Dinwiddie added 19, and Klay Thompson chipped in 13 for Dallas, who bumped the Lakers from fifth place in the Western Conference.
“We knew we had to get back on track,” Grimes told broadcaster TNT. “Came out with the right mindset after dropping five in a row, so good to get back on track.” Lakers coach JJ Redick said his team’s inability to defend the perimeter was key. “In terms of the energy, it felt like we played a little tired tonight,” he said. “When you’re on the road and the other team is banging threes, it can be a little deflating to the overall energy.”
In New Orleans, Anthony Edwards scored 32 points with nine rebounds to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 104-97 victory over the Pelicans, spoiling Pels star Zion Williamson’s return from a two-month injury absence. Williamson scored 22 points with six rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Dejounte Murray led New Orleans with 29 points, but CJ McCollum had a rough night—scoring just five points on one-for-14 shooting.
In Charlotte, the Hornets halted their 10-game losing streak with a 115-104 victory over the Phoenix Suns. LaMelo Ball scored 32 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, and Miles Bridges scored 21 points for the Hornets, who out-scored the Suns 37-17 in the second quarter to take control. Devin Booker scored 39 points and handed out 10 assists, and Kevin Durant scored 26 points for Phoenix, but the Suns have dropped five of their last six.
© 2024 AFP
