Luke Kennard pulled off an incredible milestone for himself amid Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves' absences during the Los Angeles Lakers' loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night.
Kennard is going through the ninth season of his NBA career, his first with the Lakers. He started the year with the Atlanta Hawks before they traded him to Los Angeles for Gabe Vincent.
Kennard has been a valuable spark plug off the bench with his shooting ability, but saw his role grow following injuries to Doncic and Reaves. Their absences meant that he would need to handle more responsibilities to give Los Angeles a chance to keep winning games.
In 41 minutes of action, Kennard pulled off a triple-double. He finished with 15 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists, and a steal. He shot 5-of-17 from the field, including 1-of-5 from beyond the arc. It marked the first triple-double of his career, per reporter Mike Trudell.
“Luke Kennard's first career triple-double comes midway through the 3rd Q: 10 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds,” Trudell wrote.
How Luke Kennard, Lakers played against Mavericks
Despite Luke Kennard's efforts, the Lakers were unable to contain Cooper Flagg as the Mavericks secured the 134-128 home victory.
Six players scored in double-digits for Los Angeles in the loss, including Kennard. LeBron James led the team with 30 points, 15 assists, nine rebounds, and one steal. Jaxson Hayes came next with 23 points and four rebounds, Rui Hachimura had 21 points and seven rebounds, while Jake LaRavia put up 14 points and five rebounds. Meanwhile, Deandre Ayton provided 13 points and four rebounds.
Los Angeles fell to a 50-28 record on the season, holding the third spot in the Western Conference standings. They are above the Denver Nuggets and the Houston Rockets while trailing the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Lakers will look to bounce back in their next matchup, being at home. They host the Thunder as tip-off will take place on April 7 at 10:30 p.m. ET.
