Advertisement

Lakers suffer worst loss in club history

 
Published Jan. 23, 2017

DALLAS — Justin Anderson scored 19 and Dirk Nowitzki added 13 to help the Mavericks hand the Lakers the worst loss in franchise history, 122-73 on Sunday.

The 49-point defeat edged Los Angeles' two previous worst losses of 48 points, most recently 123-75 at Utah on March 28, 2016. Los Angeles scored its fewest points in a game 11 years to the date that Kobe Bryant scored 81 against the Raptors.

"We didn't show up to play," Lakers coach Luke Walton said. "It's embarrassing for us as a team and for us as an organization. The effort just wasn't there tonight, which I don't understand."

The Mavericks' winning margin was the third largest in their history. It was Dallas' 13th straight win over the Lakers, who have lost six of seven.

After a season-best three-game winning streak, the Mavericks had blown a nine-point halftime lead at Miami on Thursday and lost to Utah on Friday.

Nowitzki was 1-of-13 against the Jazz, including a missed 3-pointer that would have tied the score in overtime.

"I looked sluggish the other night on that back-to-back," Nowitzki said, "but took a day off (Saturday), didn't do anything. Felt a lot better today."

The game was close for 10 minutes, with Dallas leading 23-22 before the Mavericks scored 15 straight to blow the game open. Nowitzki had seven points during the run.

The Mavericks led 67-33 at the half and never looked back.

Lou Williams led the Lakers with 15 points.

The Mavericks scored their most points and allowed their fewest in a half and a game this season. All 11 Mavericks who played in the first half scored and had at least one rebound.

Dallas' Seth Curry scored 14, including seven straight in the first quarter for a 13-6 lead.

The Lakers showed signs of life on a 10-5 run for a 16-15 lead with 5:50 left in the quarter.

The score was tied at 20 before Devin Harris made a 3-pointer with 2:46 left for a lead that Dallas never lost.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS: Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson each hit seven 3-pointers and the visiting Warriors won their seventh straight, beating the Magic 118-98. … Eric Bledsoe scored a career-high 40 and had 13 assists as the visiting Suns handed the Raptors their third straight loss, 115-103. … Karl-Anthony Towns had 32 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists and hit the go-ahead shot with 42.5 seconds to play to lead the host Timberwolves to a 111-108 victory over the Nuggets.