LOS ANGELES – Disaster avoided. Barely.

LeBron James made one of two free throws with 2.1 seconds to go on Wednesday night, while the Los Angeles Lakers withstood the Dallas Mavericks 114-113 after nearly reducing the lead of 19. points in the second half.

The defeat would have been painful for the Lakers, who progressed to 3-5 but continue to fight during James' inaugural season with the team.

James, who missed two free throws late in the game in overtime against the San Antonio Spurs last week, missed his first free throw with a score of 113-113. While tension prevailed at Staples Center, James made his second free throw and Dallas, J.J. Barea missed a 3-pointer to the ring.

James spoke of the difficulties the team faced at the end of the match, with the Lakers losing two games by four points and a third in overtime.

"Listen, I am extremely happy that we are going through this," he said. "You can talk about it, you can preach about it, you can watch a movie about it, but the best teacher of life is the experience.And it's great that these young guys are starting to have experience playing these close and close games and tonight on the other side of it.

"… Same situation against San Antonio, we lost.The same situation that occurred tonight we won so it's a pleasure to learn."

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Dallas led 15-2 ahead of James's free kick, which had 29 points, six assists and five rebounds, a top in the game.

The Lakers took a 19-point lead at 87-69, while Lonzo Ball scored three points with a time remaining at 4:40 to qualify in the third quarter. Los Angeles led by 14 with 4:16 left in the fourth.

James is also blamed for having committed a capital sin in the fourth quarter by yielding a three-pointer to Harrison Barnes.

"It can not happen," he says. "You can put it to me."

Follow Josh Peter on Twitter @ joshlpeter11.