LOS ANGELES, April 6 -- Derek Fisher, playing in place of the injured Nick Van Exel, scored a season-high 21 points for Los Angeles and the Dallas Mavericks set an NBA single-quarter record for offensive futility in the Lakers' 87-80 victory. Dallas, leading 51-37 at halftime, scored just two points in the third quarter on a pair of free throws by Derek Harper with 1:51 left. It broke the previous NBA low of four points, established on October 21st, 1972 by the Buffalo Braves and equaled on February 4th, 1987 by the Sacramento Kings against the Lakers in Los Angeles. The Mavericks missed all 15 of their shots in the period and committed nine turnovers. Dallas went without a basket until Sasha Danilovic had a layup 23 seconds into the fourth quarter. Harper scored 18 points and Danilovic added 15 for the Mavericks, who raced to a 30-17 lead after one quarter but lost all four games to Los Angeles this season. Michael Finley scored nine points and Harper added eight as Dallas took a 13-point lead into the second quarter. Harper added six more points in the second quarter as the Mavericks held a 14-point lead at intermission. Then, the bottom fell out. Robert Horry started the run with two free throws 40 seconds into the half. Eddie Jones then exploded for eight points in a 53-second span, hitting a pair of three-pointers and a dunk to draw Los Angeles within 51-47 at the 9:29 mark.
Fisher followed with a three-pointer and threw down a dunk of his own, giving the Lakers their first lead and the lead for good at 52-51 with 7:48 remaining. Scott continued the onslaught with a three-pointer and Fisher had a layup to push the lead to six. Horry knocked down a 14-footer before Scott capped the run with a layup to put Los Angeles ahead 61-51 with 3:09 to play. It was the largest run by the Lakers since opening the game with 29 points against the Kings in that February game in 1987 in which they tied the record. Los Angeles also held the Kings without a basket in that quarter. Dallas came no closer than seven points in the fourth quarter at 66- 59 after a basket by Harper with 10:29 remaining, but the Lakers answered with a 15-8 spurt that opened up an 81-67 bulge with 3:15 remaining after a three-pointer by Scott.
