LeBron James spoke after the Los Angeles Lakers fell 134-128 to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday at the American Airlines Center. “Each game is different, so what can work in one game could possibly not work in the next game,” James said, reflecting on adjustments after the loss.
The Lakers played without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, sidelined with a left hamstring strain and a left oblique strain, respectively. James noted, “Defensively, we had some breakdowns, especially in the first half, we gave too many transition points. We allowed a lot of the key guys get to their spots. Thought we can’t do that, especially short-handed.”
James highlighted individual performances despite the defeat. “Luke did an excellent job. Rebounding 13 defensive rebounds, helping clean the glass, feeding the ball, getting guys in their proper spots,” he said, referring to Luke Kennard’s first career triple-double of 15 points, 16 rebounds, and 11 assists.
The Lakers’ offense was strong, with James finishing with 30 points and 15 assists. “We had 36 assists. I mean, that’s big time,” he said. “Everybody felt in a good rhythm. Offensively we’re really good tonight.”
James also praised Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, who scored 45 points with nine assists and eight rebounds, ending Dallas’ 14-game home losing streak. “He’s obviously special. I’ve seen that all the way back to the AAU days. He’s taking what he did back home to the AAU circuit to Duke and now here he’s just getting better and better,” James said.
Reflecting on the broader rookie class, James added, “It’s a great rookie class. VJ [Edgecombe] at Philly, Kon [Knueppel] in Charlotte, Dylan [Harper] in San Antonio—all making an impact on their respective teams. League is in good hands with those rooks.”
James emphasized his own mindset, noting, “I just try to… I know what I’m capable of still. If I’m in the lineup, I got to try to make plays happen for us in multiple ways and try to do that enough tonight to try to help us win. It wasn’t enough.”
Despite the loss, James highlighted the team effort in scoring. “JJ used the phrase all hands on deck. It wasn’t just me. Anyone in the lineup was really looking for offensive contribution,” he said.
The Lakers, now tied for third in the Western Conference with Denver, will host Oklahoma City on Tuesday. The Mavericks travel to face the Clippers, seeking to build on Flagg’s breakout performances.
