The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers by a final score of 127-125 on Tuesday night in what was an exciting game throughout. Despite originally being listed as questionable, Luka Doncic not only played but led the Mavs to the victory over LeBron James and LA.

Doncic addressed an exchange he had with LeBron after the win during his TNT postgame interview, via House of Highlights.

“The way he talks to me, it's amazing,” Doncic said of LeBron. “Great relationship, I'm glad, me from Slovenia, I can play games like this against LeBron. It's just special.”

LeBron also enjoyed a great game. The Lakers superstar finished with 33 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. Nevertheless, it wasn't enough to overcome Luka and the Mavs.

Luka Doncic, Mavs take care of business vs. Lakers

Mavs' Luka Doncic shooting a basketball, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Dante Exum in background.

Article Continues Below
More Dallas Mavericks News
Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) dribbles the ball against the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Lenovo Center.
Will Cooper Flagg be Mavericks’ point guard until Kyrie Irving returns from injury?Joey Mistretta ·
Mavericks Luka Doncic on left, Mavericks Cooper Flagg on right, stop light in the middle on red.
Why the Cooper Flagg-Luka Doncic comparisons must come to an endJoey Mistretta ·
mavericks, dallas mavericks, d'angelo russell
The player Dallas Mavericks must avoid in 2025 NBA free agencyGarrett Kerman ·
Cooper Flagg talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago.
Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg reveals his favorite WNBA player’s gameAbdullah Imran ·
Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving talks with Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) after the game against the Indiana Fever at the American Airlines Center.
Wings’ Paige Bueckers reveals how Kyrie Irving inspired ‘unguardable’ motivationJoey Mistretta ·
Dallas Mavericks first overall pick Cooper Flagg speaks to the media during a press conference at the Dallas Mavericks Practice Facility.
Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg makes first Dallas appearance at Wings-Fever clashRichard Pereira ·

Luka Doncic led the charge for Dallas with an eye-popping double-double, scoring 33 points and dropping 17 assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Dante Exum stepped up alongside Luka Doncic with Kyrie Irving out.

It was a big win for Dallas. The fact that they were able to defeat a talented Lakers team despite Irving's absence says a lot about the Mavs. They should be taken seriously as a legitimate contender in the Western Conference.

Luka's performance was especially impressive since he's dealing with a low back contusion. Doncic even admitted to not being sure how he played Tuesday night, via Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

“I don't know how I played [vs. Lakers],” Luka said. “I slept very little today. Everything hurts. I’m getting old, man, but we got two back-to-back wins, which is amazing, especially against a team like the Lakers. So I'm really proud of these guys.”

What's next for Mavs?

The Mavs will play next on Thursday at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Dallas sits 2.5 games behind Minnesota for the top spot in the Western Conference as of this writing, so Thursday's affair should also be a competitive game.

Dallas will then hit the road to face the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night.