"Y’all are a pathetic franchise": NBA fans tear into the LA Lakers after last-second defeat to the Mavs
The LA Lakers just suffered a heart-breaking loss to the Dallas Mavericks behind Maxi Kleber's buzzer-beating three-point shot. LA clung to a 110-108 lead with 6.7 left in the game before Kleber's game-winning trifecta.
Fans quickly pounced on Laker Nation's misery:
"This one is on AD and Ham. Y’all are a pathetic franchise."
@BleacherReport This one is on AD and Ham. Y’all are a pathetic franchise.
@BleacherReport Lakers season is OVER https://t.co/9aJuHvlyYV
@BleacherReport Great pass by Kyrie. Shoutout to AD for giving the game way
@BleacherReport Nah if MAXI KLEBER of all people sends my team to the nether realm it’s time to end it all 😂
@BleacherReport AD straight up choked! 2 crucial FTs and an unnecessary 3pt foul are just unforgivable.
@BleacherReport LETS ALL LAUGH AT THE LAKERS 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
@BleacherReport Mavs won playing against the refs AND the Lakers 😂😂🚬😭😭
@VinoUncorked This is why Bron has been pushing for Kyrie lol He knows he won’t split free throws and get clamped by horrible defensive players
@VinoUncorked Everybody wanted it except for the Lakers that were playing
Anthony Davis has deactivated his Instagram. I’m taking that in as he’s locked in and ready to go “Zero Dark 23,” as LeBron James would say. twitter.com/i/web/status/1… https://t.co/YG74jri0XP
Lakers needed Hasbulla in the lineup https://t.co/1jIdxEMbWO
@LakeShowYo LOCK AD IN THE GYM UNTIL SUNDAY. GOODNIGHT.
Kleber played 29 minutes and finished the night with 10 points, none bigger than the last three that decided the game. He went 2-4 from the field, including 1-3 from behind the arc.
The Dallas Mavericks entered the fourth quarter leading 89-80. D'Angelo Russell, Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder allowed the LA Lakers to close the gap just three minutes into the said period.
An Austin Reaves floater eventually pushed the Lakers to grab a 97-96 lead. Momentum swung completely to the home team's side when Schroder hit a layup, giving the Lakers a 100-105 lead.
The LA Lakers looked like they were on their way to a win with a 109-105 lead with under 10 seconds left in the game. Unfortunately, Anthony Davis blundered by fouling Maxi Kleber from the three-point line.
MAXI KLEBER WINS IT AT THE BUZZER FOR THE MAVS‼️ https://t.co/jChqsVeEEK
The Dallas Mavericks forward made all of his free throws to cut the lead to 109-108. Davis, who was fouled on the next possession, hit just one of two free throws.
AD's miss set up Kleber's heroics.
The LA Lakers will rue this loss if they get eliminated from play-in contention
The Dallas Mavericks didn't have Luka Doncic, who was sidelined with a thigh injury. LeBron James wasn't also available, but the LA Lakers undoubtedly had the deeper and more balanced team.
Kyrie Irving, who was questionable heading into the game, caused the home team problems early with 20 first-half points. The mercurial point guard didn't show any signs of a sore foot as he finished with 38 points in 39 minutes.
Without Irving, who knows how Dallas would have played in this game. The Lakers aggressively went after the All-Star point guard in the second-half, particularly late in the fourth quarter.
Irving has to be credited for making the right plays and the right reads in carrying the Mavericks to the win.
The LA Lakers, on the other hand, stopped being aggressive when they finally grabbed the lead. They were sloppy on both ends of the floor, which caused their collapse.
The loss has to be one of Anthony Davis' most embarrassing performances. AD had plenty of rest as he didn't suit up for the Lakers versus the Houston Rockets last Wednesday.
Masterclass choke job by AD tonight in the last 10 seconds:
🧱 fouled Kleber on a 3PT shot
🧱 bricked a FT
🧱 left Kleber open for the game-winning 3
LeBron dresses for the Lakers funeral tonight 😤🔥🔥🧱🧱🧱 https://t.co/4R0zeJ8swM
Anthony Davis finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. He committed, however, two errors that cost the Lakers the game. AD fouled Kleber from deep and then lost him when the German sunk the game-winning three-pointer.
The loss meant that the Mavericks won the season-series 3-1. If they end up with the same record at the end of the regular-season, Dallas will go through because of their edge in head-to-head games.
The LA Lakers still have 11 more games to go. If they fail to punch a play-in ticket, this might be the game that will nag them in the offseason.