3 Studs, 2 duds in Mavericks’ clutch road win against Lakers

Coming into last night's matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dallas Mavericks were on a two-game losing streak.

In a stressful game that would keep Mavs fans awake past midnight, the Mavs would take the win against the Lakers by a score of 104-101.

The “LuKai” duo would combine for 58 points on the night and would hit multiple clutch shots to help get the victory.

3 Studs, 2 duds in Mavericks’ clutch road win against Lakers

With Dereck Lively II going down on a hard fall early in the third quarter, it was a next man up mentality for this team.

As a team, the Mavericks shot a scrappy 32 percent from three.

The Mavs would begin the fourth quarter with a 20-point lead, but with Austin Reaves and LeBron James knocking down tough shots, they would take the lead with 1:16 remaining.

With just around 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Doncic would drive to the middle of the paint and kick it out to Irving for the game-winning 3-pointer to help secure the Mavs win.

Here are your three studs and two duds from the road win.

Honorable Mention: Richaun Holmes

One of the key reasons the Mavs were able to get the win was due to the excellent performance of Richaun Holmes.

After having a solid performance against the Kings, Jason Kidd threw Holmes in the rotation as the backup center in the win against the Lakers.

In 23 minutes of play, Holmes put up four points, 10 rebounds, and a block. What can’t go on the stat sheet, but made a big impact in the win was Holmes and his use of the screen assists which would allow Doncic to get multiple easy buckets.

With a great performance in the win and no update on Lively II and his injury, expect Holmes to stick in the rotation for a long time.

5. Stud - Josh Green

After having a very flat start to the season, Josh Green was able to showcase his talents and prove to the front office and fans that he was worthy of a contract extension.

In the win, Green had a season high of 15 points and shot a very solid 3-6 from the 3-point line.

A positive note to take from the win as well was that Green was starting to create his own shot rather than strictly being a catch-and-shoot option.

Green would also make big defensive plays throughout the night to help create offensive momentum for the Mavs. It’s unclear as to why he saw minimal playing time in the second half.

Green has proven to be the perfect fit for this Mavs team in the last few games with his capabilities to play in a fast-paced offense and be a catch-and-shoot player in the corner for Doncic and Irving

With scoring in double digits and shooting above 50 percent from the field in the last two games, expect Green to make a big impact in the Mavs' game this Saturday against the LA Clippers.

4. Dud - Tim Hardaway Jr.

After making a clear case for being one of the top NBA Sixth Man of the Year candidates this season, Tim Hardaway Jr. had an off night against the Lakers.

In 30 minutes, Hardaway Jr. scored a season low of just seven points and shot 2-8 from behind the arc.

The one positive to take out of his performance was he was second in team plus-minus with a plus 11.

If Hardaway Jr. isn’t hunting down and hitting shots, then his offensive impact is slim to nothing. The Mavs sniper isn’t known for his facilitating skills, so if he’s not shooting the ball, there isn’t much else for him to do on the floor.

Hardaway Jr. is currently shooting 39.6 percent from behind the arc which is the second highest in his career. Not only is that impressive, but Hardaway Jr. is also averaging 17.5 points per game, which is his best scoring season in Dallas by far.

It’ll be very key for Hardaway Jr. to have a rebound game on Saturday against the Clippers as the sixth man and Mavs can’t afford a loss. Hardaway Jr. will be needed on both sides of the floor as the Clippers offense has began to thrive.

3. Stud - Luka Doncic

Through 15 games this season, Luka Doncic has continuously proven to be one of the most, if not the most elite players in the NBA.

Doncic dropped 30 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists while shooting a mediocre 10-26 from the field.

Not only was Doncic hitting big time shots all night long, but he was continuously making clutch passes to his teammates to get the win.

Throughout the game, Doncic was able to connect with Irving for multiple 3-pointers. A key topic from this season's success for the Mavs has been the improved chemistry between Doncic and Irving.

Doncic has been playing at a high level this season, but lately, the main issue has been his consistency. If Doncic can fix that he will be an even bigger issue in the league.

Doncic is shooting a career high of 40.8 from three, while also attempting an average 9.8 three’s per game as well.

Expect a big game from Doncic on Saturday as he will facing his personal rival, the LA Clippers. In his most recent performance against the Clippers, he put up 44 points, six rebounds, and six assists, while shooting an absurdly impressive 6-9 from three.

2. Dud - Jaden Hardy

After having a solid and consistent role this season with the Mavs, things might change for Jaden Hardy after a very poor performance against the Los Angeles Lakers.

In his seven minutes on the floor, Hardy shot an awful 1-5 from the field and only had two points.

After shooting a step-back 3-pointer in the corner early in the fourth quarter, Jason Kidd immediately would sub out Hardy for the remainder of the game.

Hardy thrived on the floor for the Mavs when he accepted being a catch-and-shoot player. Hardy clearly has shown he isn’t ready yet to be a primary ball handler.

With poor play from Hardy, expect to see more minutes from Dante Exum and Seth Curry. If Hardy can’t fix his shot selection, most people won’t be surprised when he’s completely out of the rotation.

Hardy hasn’t made a big enough impact for this Mavs team this season to be considered a key piece to the puzzle, so a chance for his name to be put on the trade block could happen sooner than later.

With players like Doncic and Irving in their prime, the Mavs want to win right now. There’s not much time to develop players like Hardy.

1. Stud - Kyrie Irving

In the Mavs win, Kyrie Irving was perfect on both sides of the floor. Irving made clutch plays throughout the whole game.

Irving put up a very solid 28 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals in the win. Irving also shot a very efficient 11-22 from the field, as well as 4-8 from behind the line. Irving led the team in plus-minus with a plus 14 and showed why he’s one of the most clutch-time players in the NBA.

Irving would end up hitting the game-winner off of a dime from co-star, Luka Doncic. After having a slow offensive start to the season, it’s clear Irving has found a great rhythm.

Not only did he showcase his talents offensively, but he would prove to his fans that he could be a solid defender as well. Irving would create a late game eight second violation on the Lakers that would flip around the momentum.

With the way Irving and Doncic have been playing as a duo lately, it will be very hard to stop them. Expect for Irving to continue to have a big impact for this Mavs team and be one of the main reasons they rack up these wins.

For all the latest on Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, and the Dallas Mavericks this season, stay tuned.