Mavericks hand Lakers their worst loss ever
Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks had something to prove Sunday following two straight tough losses.
Coming off a three-point effort in an overtime loss on Friday, Nowitzki scored all 13 of his points in the first half and Dallas gave the Los Angeles Lakers the worst loss in their history, 122-73.
“We didn’t show up to play,” Lakers coach Luke Walton said. “It’s embarrassing for us as a team and for us as an organization. The effort just wasn’t there tonight, which I don’t understand.”
The 49-point defeat just edged Los Angeles’ two previous worst losses at 48 points, most recently 123-75 at Utah on March 28, 2016.
The Mavericks’ winning margin was the third largest in their history. It was Dallas’ 13th straight win over the Lakers, who have lost six of their last seven games overall.
After a season-best threegame winning streak, the Mavericks had blown a nine-point halftime lead at Miami on Thursday and lost to Utah on Friday.
Nowitzki was 1-for-13 against the Jazz, including a missed three-pointer that would have tied the game in overtime.
“I looked sluggish the other night on that back-to-back,” Nowitzki said, “but took a day off yesterday, didn’t do anything. Felt a lot better today.”
The game was close for 10 minutes, with Dallas leading 23-22 before the Mavericks scored the next 15 points to blow it open. Nowitzki had seven points during the run. He played just 20 minutes.
Justin Anderson led seven Mavericks in double figures with a game-high 19 points in 16 minutes, his most playing time since Dec. 27.
The Mavericks led 67-33 at the half and did not look back. They scored their most points and allowed the fewest in a half and a game this season. The 34-point halftime lead was the third largest in franchise history.
The Lakers scored their fewest points in a quarter, a first half and a game.
“What’s deflating is that we didn’t guard anybody,” Lakers forward Julius Randle said.
Lou Williams led the Lakers with 15 points.
Dallas’ Seth Curry scored 14 points, including seven straight in the first quarter.
Wesley Matthews and Deron Williams also had 13 points. Devin Harris and Pierre Jackson scored 10 each. Rookies Jackson and Nicolas Brussino (eight points) each reached personal highs.
The Lakers played without D’Angelo Russell, who’s second on the team at 14.3 points per game. An MRI exam taken Saturday showed a mildly sprained right MCL and strained right calf. That left the Lakers with rookie Brandon Ingram starting at point guard, and they had a season-low 10 assists.
Dallas’ previous biggest win was 123-70 at home over the 76ers on Nov. 13, 2014.
Suns 115, Raptors 103:
Eric Bledsoe scored a career-high 40 points and had 13 assists, and Phoenix handed host Toronto its third straight loss. Bledsoe was 11-for-17 from the floor, including 4-for-7 from three-point range, and Devin Booker added 20 points as the Suns won their second straight road game following Saturday’s win at New York.
Timberwolves 111, Nuggets 108:
Karl-Anthony Towns had 32 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists and hit the go-ahead shot with 42.5 seconds to play as Minnesota won its fourth straight home game. Towns hit 13 of 19 shots and also had four blocks, and Andrew Wiggins scored 24 points as the Wolves rallied from nine points down midway through the fourth quarter for the win. Gary Harris scored 22 points for Denver.