LOS ANGELES – Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points and the Dallas Mavericks held off a late rally by the winless Los Angeles Lakers for a 103-93 victory on Sunday (Monday in Manila).
The Mavericks opened the game with a 15-0 blitz that included two 3-pointers each by Wesley Matthews and Nowitzki - the latter has made more 3-point shots than any 7-footer in league history (1,580). The Lakers missed their first five shots before Julius Randle's dunk with 7:13 left in the first quarter.
Randle posted his second consecutive double-double with 22 points and 15 rebounds. The 20-year-old broke his right leg 14 minutes into his NBA debut on opening night last year and missed the rest of the season after the Lakers picked him seventh overall in the 2014 draft.
Kobe Bryant had 15 points on 3-of-15 shooting. The NBA's third all-time leading scorer is three games into his 20th season with the Lakers. He missed his first seven shots before hitting a layup with 10:11 left in the third quarter to trim Dallas' lead to 56-49 after Dallas led by 16 points.
Lou Williams had 13 points off the bench and cut Dallas' lead to six on a pair of free throws with 12:27 left, but Raymond Felton and J.J. Barea hit consecutive jumpers 34 seconds apart in the final 2:06 to ice it.
Bryant picked up his fifth foul with 5:09 to play, but sliced the Lakers' deficit to 96-89 about 1 1-2 minutes later with his 1,700th career 3-pointer.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: The victory was Rick Carlisle's 340th as Dallas' coach, breaking Don Nelson's franchise record in 29 fewer games. Nelson is the NBA's all-time winningest coach with 1,335 victories, 282 more than Carlisle. Deron Williams needs one more 3-point basket for 1,000 in the regular season. Nowitzki and Barea are the only players left on the roster from Dallas' 2010-11 NBA championship squad. The Mavericks tied a regular-season club record with 18 3-pointers against the Lakers last November 21. They were 11 for 30 from behind the arc this time.
Lakers: LA gave up 40 points in the paint after surrendering a whopping 80 in their 132-114 loss at Sacramento. Brandon Bass had 10 points and five rebounds on the 10th anniversary of his NBA debut with the New Orleans Hornets - who were then coached by current Lakers coach Byron Scott. . Larry Nance Jr., one of four rookies on the Lakers' roster, has yet to make his NBA debut. He was on the inactive list for the game after a brief bout with tendinitis in his right knee. Reserve Tarik Black grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds against the Mavericks last April 4 at Staples Center, but spent all of this game on the bench.
UP NEXT
Mavericks: Host Toronto on Wednesday night (Thursday in Manila) in their home opener.
Lakers: Host Denver on Tuesday night (Wednesday in Manila), the 19th anniversary of Bryant's NBA debut.