A quick look at the NBA standings will tell you that neither the Los Angeles Lakers nor the Dallas Mavericks are exactly in title contention right now – but who really cares? It’s LeBron James’ Lakers visiting Luka Doncic’s Mavs on Christmas Day and, predictably, James puts on a show once again as he gets off to a flying start in Dallas to help the Lakers to start the second half in the lead.
Along with being featured as part of the league’s Christmas Day slate, this game, like every other game in the ultra-tight Western Conference, matters. Despite being in 9th place at 16-16, the Mavs are just four games out of first place. Doncic is scoring a ton, 32.3 points per game, which is good enough for second place in the NBA behind Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid. And even though LeBron is averaging 27.1, which is also his career average, his Lakers are in 13th place in the West – but just 2.5 games from the last playing spot – and without the services of Anthony Davis. (foot stress injury) for an indefinite period.
Follow below as CBS Sports provides live updates from the game between Los Angeles and Dallas.