There’s no history except Luka Doncic when speaking about the LA Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks. The former Dallas hero will return to the American Airlines Center for the second time as an opponent. Coming off a disappointing loss to the Clippers, the Purple and Gold will look to impose their firepower on the Mavericks, who are beaten down by injuries.

However, the Mavs have a motivated unit, led by sensational rookie Cooper Flagg. It shouldn’t be an even contest, but the emotions add undeniable intensity to this clash. Will Luka Doncic be there to remind the Mavericks of their mistake again? Will LeBron James join him? Let’s examine both of the team’s injury reports to analyze the upcoming bout.

Are Luka Doncic, LeBron James playing tonight? Latest injury update on the Lakers

Both of the Lakers’ stars are fit and available to face the Dallas Mavericks tonight. Luka Doncic is coming off a strong 32-point performance against the Clippers. It was the 25 time in 35 games that Doncic scored 30 or more points. With the Mavericks on the calendar, Doncic revealed he always feels at home when playing in front of the Mavs fans. He’s prepared to show up for them and the Lakers.

On the other hand, LeBron James is also free of any injury risk going into the matchup. The Akron Hammer has played his best basketball of the season in January. He’s averaging 25.5 points and 7.5 assists in the new year.

Lakers injury report

• Austin Reaves–Out (Calf)
• Adou Thiero–Out (MCL sprain)

Are Cooper Flagg, Klay Thompson playing tonight? Latest injury update on the Mavericks

Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg missed the team’s consecutive games against the Utah Jazz earlier last week. The number one pick dealt with an ankle injury, but has since made a full recovery. The Mavericks have claimed victories against the New York Knicks and the Golden State Warriors since Flagg made his return.

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Klay Thompson played an essential role for the Mavericks without Flagg. He scored 20+ in both games against the Jazz. The sharpshooter has experienced a resurgence after a sloppy start to the season. His acceptance to come off the bench has offered the Mavericks some stability despite having an extensive list of injuries.

Thompson is also expected to play against the Lakers, a team that wanted his services prior to his trade to Dallas.

Mavericks injury report

• Daniel Gafford – Probable (Ankle)
• Moussa Cisse – Questionable (Illness)
• Anthony Davis – Out (Hand)
• Kyrie Irving – Out (ACL)
• Dereck Lively II – Out for the season
• Dante Exum – Out for the season

Luka Doncic and LeBron James stats vs Mavericks: A look back at past performances

It’s been a while since LeBron James had a big performance against the Dallas Mavericks. The most points he’s scored against them over their past five matchups is 27. It was the first time Doncic lined up against his former team and dropped just 19. But since then, the five-time All-NBA guard has moved on and punished the Mavericks.

He’s only played against them thrice and has yet to suffer a defeat against the Mavericks. His infamous 45-point game against them in Dallas set the record for the most points scored in a debut against a player’s former team. He followed it up with 35 points and 11 assists when the Lakers hosted the Mavericks this season.

Little needs to be said about what lights a fire under Doncic’s belly when facing the Mavericks. Although he appreciates the fans, the bitterness from the unforeseen trade isn’t something he can just get over.

Lakers vs Mavericks preview and what to expect

The Lakers have an advantage with the Mavericks playing without Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving. But the Purple and Gold have been exposed against teams that play with an unrelenting motor. Even without AD, the Mavericks have solid defensive integrity. The likes of Flagg and Naji Marshall could target the Lakers’ poor interior defense, which allows an average of 50 points.

That being said, the Lakers have shown improved defensive principles over their past few games. If Luka Doncic plays unhinged basketball and the team plays with togetherness, the Lakers hold a great chance at walking away with a victory. But if they get complacent, the Mavericks have a plethora of options to pull off an upset.

Lakers vs Mavericks predicted starting lineups

All signs still point toward the Los Angeles Lakers holding the edge in this matchup. With both Luka Doncic and LeBron James healthy and in rhythm, their combined shot creation and late-game control should tilt the balance. Dallas’ energy and youth can keep things competitive, but the absence of key stars limits their margin for error. If the Lakers stay locked in defensively and avoid lapses, their firepower should be enough to close this one out on the road.