LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic had 41 points and eight rebounds while also picking up his suspension-triggering 16th technical foul during the Los Angeles Lakers ' 116-99 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night.
Austin Reaves scored 15 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter while the Lakers finally pulled away from the young Nets to secure their 11th victory in 12 games. LeBron James added 14 points and eight assists for the Lakers in their return from a 5-1 road trip that has put them in third in the Western Conference standings.
Josh Minott had 18 points and six rebounds in Brooklyn's 10th consecutive loss. Nic Claxton and Ziaire Williams scored 16 points apiece while leading the Nets' lively effort, but both starters were kept on the bench for the entire fourth quarter along with Noah Clowney.
The young Nets still hung with the road-weary Lakers until the final minutes, erasing an early double-digit deficit and leading in the fourth quarter of their 20th loss in 22 games overall.
Doncic hit five 3-pointers during his 15th 40-point game of the season, but the Slovenian superstar found trouble when he and Williams were whistled for double technical fouls in the third quarter.
Williams was celebrating an offensive foul called against Doncic by gleefully screaming in Doncic's personal space. When Doncic reached out to shove Williams' arm, Williams responded with a backhand swipe across Doncic's face.
Unless Doncic's technical is rescinded, he will be suspended for a game. He already had a technical rescinded last week after he was whistled for a verbal altercation with Orlando's Goga Bitadze.
Bronny James played alongside his famous father for the second straight game, with LeBron getting the first father-son assist in NBA history on Bronny's 3-pointer in the second quarter. Bronny has been limited largely to mop-up action in his first two NBA seasons, but he has earned rotation minutes this week in the injury absence of Marcus Smart.
Bronny and Williams played together in high school at Sierra Canyon School in suburban Los Angeles.
Nets: Host Sacramento on Sunday.
Lakers: Host Washington on Monday after LA's first consecutive days off since the All-Star break.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) gestures after a three-point basket against the Indiana Pacers during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Marvin Bagley III scored a season-high 26 points off the bench and Cooper Flagg had 24 to lead the Dallas Mavericks past the Portland Trail Blazers 100-93 on Friday night, snapping a five-game skid.
Naji Marshall had 19 points and five steals for the Mavericks, who had dropped seven of their previous nine games on the road and bounced back from a 142-135 loss at Denver on Wednesday night.
Bagley, who had his most points since scoring 25 last April, shot 11 of 14 from the field, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range, and had nine rebounds. Flagg had four steals for Dallas.
Jrue Holiday scored 23 points and Deni Avdija had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who had their two-game winning streak stopped and fell below .500 at 37-38. Portland, which has clinched a playoff spot and is currently in ninth place in the Western Conference, had won five of its previous six to get back to .500 for the first time in over two months.
Donovan Clingan had 17 rebounds and six points for the Trail Blazers.
The game was tied at 92 with 2:25 remaining after Holiday made a 3-pointer, but the Mavericks sealed the victory with an 8-1 run to end it. Bagley had a layup and a dunk to start the run and Marshall and Brandon Williams combined to make four free throws.
Mavericks: Host Minnesota on Monday night.
Trail Blazers: Host Washington on Sunday night.
—
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija talks with referee Nick Buchert (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) shoots during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) drives to the basket past Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 27, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) hugs forward Naji Marshall, right, after an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
Dallas Mavericks forward Marvin Bagley III (35) shoots past Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 27, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
