LeBron James concedes life without the injured Anthony Davis is "very difficult" for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers fell to a 124-115 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, after the Mavs piled on 51 third-quarter points.

The defeat left the Lakers with a 13-20 record, having lost their past four games all without Davis after he suffered a foot injury in the 126-108 win over the Denver Nuggets on December 16.

In Davis' absence, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham has trialled a shorter lineup with Patrick Beverley and Dennis Schroder in the backcourt.

"Reality is, without AD, we lose a lot of length, which we don't have already," James told reporters after Sunday's loss.

"We have to make up in ways that, without AD, is very difficult, very challenging. I think at one point we had a lineup of, I think Austin Reaves [6-foot-5] was the tallest guy on the court.

"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out."

Davis had been enjoying an outstanding season prior to the injury, averaging 27.4 points shooting at 59.4 per cent from the field with 12.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks.

James has lifted in Davis' absence, with his 38 points in the loss to the Mavs marking his seventh consecutive 30-point game.

The four-time NBA MVP is averaging 33.4 points with a 58 per cent field-goal percentage, adding 6.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists across the past seven games.

On the Lakers' lineup without Davis, Ham added: "You throw everything up against the wall and see what sticks. It's one of those types of situations.

"AD's not here, not in the lineup. We're not going to start using that as an excuse. Hell yeah, it's a big hole in our lineup. But now, we're pros. We've got to step up."