On Tuesday, NBA legend LeBron James turned back the clock with a phenomenal poster dunk over Mavericks big man Derrick Lively in the encounter that took place at the American Airlines Center. However, King James' brilliance went futile as the Mavericks thumped the LA Lakers with an overwhelming scoreline of 118-97. What raised the eyebrows even more was that the Mavs got the win in the absence of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Stephen A. Smith Slams Lakers Following Loss vs Mavericks
ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, acknowledging the duality of this matchup, gave LeBron his due praise for his dunk but also criticised the lakers for their horrible performances.
That was a big-time dunk, we loved seeing it. But did we love seeing the Lakers get their a** kicked? I don’t think we liked that!
With Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving out nursing their respective injuries, the Lakers were expected to pick an easy victory over the struggling Mavericks. However, in a surprising turn of events, not only did the hosts emerge victorious, but they rattled the star-studded Lakers side by a humiliating 118-97 margin at the American Airlines Center on Tuesday. With the win, the Dallas Mavericks have ended the woeful run of losses, which extended to 5 games.
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Charles Barkley Chides the Lakers Over Subdued Performance
Both LeBron James and Anthony Davis had a subdued showcase and consequently, the team left yearning for an inspirational cameo. Los Angeles Lakers' overwhelming loss has left former MVP Charles Barkley extremely vexed. Barkley thrashed the performance of the Lakers following the culmination of the game on Inside the NBA.
The Lakers proved what I’ve kept saying. The Lakers stink, plain and simple.” Chuck even went on to say that the Lakers are only relevant because of the media's incessant interest in the team, and in reality, their on-court display isn't worth any heed.
The NBA legend did not stop right there, he further said that the Lakers lack athletic ability, and their flaws are perceptible and exploitable. Barkley then shifted his attention towards the Mavericks and praised coach Jason Kidd for putting on a "masterpiece" despite missing two of his premier players- Doncic and Irving. Ahead of the game, the Lakers were the undisputed favorites, and the popular assertion was that the LeBron James side will record a resounding win. Since, the opposite has transpired an inundation of opinions is flowing.