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Lakers open trip in Dallas

Nov 5, 2013 - 3:37 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Lakers embark on a three-game road trip through the south, starting Tuesday when they visit the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.

The Lakers snapped a two-game skid on Sunday when Pau Gasol buried a pair of free-throws with six seconds left on the clock to give L.A. the 105-103 victory versus Atlanta.

Gasol finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds, but the Lakers' leading scorer was the new hero in Hollywood.

Xavier Henry, inserted into the starting lineup to replace Nick Young, led the Lakers with 18 points against the Hawks. In two L.A. wins, Henry is averaging 20.0 ppg, but in their two setbacks, Henry is averaging 8.5 ppg.

The Henry move is just some tinkering head coach Mike D'Antoni has to do early in this campaign. Kobe Bryant is still sidelined following Achilles surgery and Steve Nash is sitting the second night of most back-to-backs.

"It's a matter of finding consistency no matter who is on the floor so we can really see what lineups are excelling," Nash said after practice on Monday. "I think right now all lineups are showing glimpses of great stuff and glimpses of negative stuff. Once we get more consistent, we'll see what lineups are really excelling."

The Mavs are 2-1 in the early going and their offense has been consistent. Dallas is third in the league in scoring at 111.3 ppg.

The Mavericks got back into the win column Saturday night with a 111-99 victory over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies. This came one night after Dallas allowed 38 points in the opening quarter of a 113-105 road loss to the Houston Rockets.

Against Memphis, Dallas held the Grizz to 16 points over the first 12 minutes, while putting up 32 of their own.

Dirk Nowitzki, who fouled out of his first game since 2009 on Friday night, led the Mavericks with 24 points.

"Obviously, we heard about it from (head coach Rick Carlisle) all day today about how we started the game off yesterday and how we gave up 40 points in the first quarter yesterday, so that was a big emphasis coming in," Nowitzki said after the win.

Shawn Marion had a double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds, while Monta Ellis (18), Jose Calderon (15), Samuel Dalembert (14) and Vince Carter (11) scored in double figures.

The Lakers, who visit Houston and New Orleans on this jaunt, have won three straight over the Mavericks and five in a row in Big D.