You mean you didn’t have Anthony Davis returning to the starting lineup on your Thanksgiving bingo card? Or Ryan Nembhard getting his first career NBA start against Luka Dončić? We didn’t either.

The Mavericks got a much needed three days rest before their Friday night matchup with the Lakers. After a tough stretch of six games in nine nights, five of those games being clutch games, Dallas needed a breather before its west coast road trip. Especially before facing the 13-4 Lakers, who came into the night playing their best basketball of the young season. Not to mention, Lebron James’s recent return to the starting lineup and Dallas would have to find a way to contain the league’s leading scorer (yes you guessed it), Luka Dončić.

Coming into Friday night’s NBA Emirates Cup matchup, each t

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