Mavericks at Lakers
LeBron James is getting tired of losing games and he hopes the Los Angeles Lakers can begin a turnaround when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. The James era started with five setbacks in seven games and three of the losses were by four or fewer points.
James had 29 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in Monday's 124-120 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves but shaky defense and 18 turnovers derailed the Lakers' hopes. "We've got to get better. We know that," James told reporters. "We talk about patience, but we can't have reoccurrence of doing the same things over and over and over again and expecting a different result. That's insanity." The Mavericks are also struggling with four consecutive defeats and they committed a season-worst 23 turnovers in Monday's 113-108 overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs. "When you go and play against a team like the Lakers, who is a fast breaking team who likes to get out in transition, we can't have 23 turnovers again," forward Harrison Barnes told reporters. "I'm glad the way we competed. It's unfortunate we lost it right at the end."
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Dallas), Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (2-5): Rookie forward Luka Doncic was superb in the loss to the Spurs with 31 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range. The No. 3 overall pick played 40 minutes in the contest and also had eight rebounds and four assists, and the 19-year-old is highly anticipating the game against the Lakers. "I'm going to play against my idol," the native of Slovenia told reporters, speaking of James. "I can't wait for that game."
ABOUT THE LAKERS (2-5): Point guard Lonzo Ball strung together back-to-back lackluster outings in which he averaged five points, two assists and 1.5 rebounds while making 4-of-14 shots. Ball, who is currently starting ahead of veteran Rajon Rondo, said he needs to be more engaged and said he just isn't doing his job, something coach Luke Walton doesn't dispute. "There's different techniques, and we try them all," Walton told reporters. "Whether it's being hard on him, encouraging him, running more plays for him. We see it. It's just something where he's a young point guard and we will continue to monitor and work on with him."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Lakers went 3-1 against the Mavericks last season after Dallas won the previous 14 meetings.
2. Los Angeles SF Brandon Ingram scored a season-best 24 points against Minnesota in his return from a four-game suspension.
3. Dallas backup PG Devin Harris (hamstring) is expected to miss his seventh straight game.