Mavericks at Lakers Preview - February 13, 2026
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Battle in LA
The Dallas Mavericks travel to Los Angeles on Friday night searching for answers. The Lakers hope to keep their momentum rolling.
Dallas Searching for Solutions
The Mavericks are stuck in a brutal stretch. They’ve lost eight games in a row. The team sits at 19-34, 12th in the Western Conference. Dallas has just five road wins all season.
Rookie Cooper Flagg has been a bright spot. He scored 36 points in the last game and averages about 19 points and six rebounds per night. He attacks the rim like a lightning bolt. But Flagg won’t play Friday. He’s out with an injury and should return after the All-Star break.
Kyrie Irving remains sidelined while recovering from knee surgery.
The Luka Trade Still Haunts Dallas
Everything changed when Dallas moved on from Luka Dončić. The franchise centerpiece was sent to Los Angeles in a blockbuster deal that shocked the NBA. Since then, nothing has gone right except winning the draft lottery to select Cooper Flagg.
Dallas tried to pivot by building around veterans, including Anthony Davis. But that plan collapsed quickly. Davis struggled to stay healthy, and the Mavericks recently traded him to the Washington Wizards for minimal return.
Many fans believe Dallas effectively turned Luka into almost nothing. The front office insists it’s time to move forward. But as the losses pile up, the shadow of that awful deal still hangs over the organization.
Lakers Building Confidence
Los Angeles owns a 32-21 record and sits sixth in the West. The Lakers just beat Brooklyn 125-109. LeBron James scored 25 points in that win. The 40-year-old star still plays at an elite level.
Austin Reaves provides scoring punch alongside LeBron, averaging about 27 points per game this season.
Luka Dončić won’t suit up Friday. He’s nursing a hamstring injury, but his presence will remind Mavs fans of what could have been.
Friday Night Showdown
The Lakers want to prove they can win consistently. Dallas desperately needs to snap its losing streak before the break.
For the Mavericks, this game feels bigger than one night. It’s about proving they can rebuild after a trade that reshaped their future and still haunts their present.
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