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(CNN) — Los Angeles is no stranger to glitz, glamor and massive sporting events, and Tuesday night was no exception as the Dallas Mavericks came to the City of Angels to face off against Luka Dončić and the Lakers.
It had only been three weeks since Dončić joined the Lakers from the Mavericks in a trade that sent shockwaves through the NBA, and fans were excited to see the Slovenian star face his former team for the first time – with the Lakers winning the game 107-99.
Though the atmosphere was electric at Crypto.com Arena, Dončić appeared calm, cool and collected before tipoff. The five-time All-Star was seen during warmups laughing and smiling with former teammate Spencer Dinwiddie then casually draining a shot from halfcourt.
It didn’t take long for Dončić to lock in once this “revenge game” tipped off. The 25-year-old star was assessed a technical foul for arguing with the officials less than three minutes into the game after he felt they missed a foul against him.
Dončić kept his focus though and finished the first quarter with 7 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. After hitting a 3-pointer in the opening quarter, Dončić could be seen starting down his former coaches and teammates on the Dallas bench.
By halftime, Dončić was up to 12 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists with the Lakers leading 59-51.
While the Mavericks seemed focused on trying to quell their former superstar, the strategy left plenty of opportunities for Dončić’s new Laker teammates to shine. Austin Reaves dropped 20 points while the NBA’s all-time leading scorer LeBron James had a team-high 27 points for LA.
Dončić finished with 19 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists, notching his first triple-double with Los Angeles.
After the win, Dončić was at a loss trying to explain the emotions of the night to broadcaster TNT.
“I don’t know how to explain it. I think in the first quarter, second quarter, I didn’t know what was happening,” Dončić said. “It was just different. I can’t even explain how I felt.”
“I can’t wait to go to sleep honestly,” Dončić later added. “I’m exhausted.”
Revenge for Luka?
While Dončić has previously said that he’s happy he joined the “greatest club in the world” and that it’s “a dream come true” to play with one of his heroes – four-time NBA champion James – some manner of revenge might be on the mind of the man who led the Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals before being traded away to LA, reportedly against his wishes.
The situation heading into Tuesday night was something both his old and new teammates and coaches seemed well aware of.
“The narrative is already written. I don’t know what else I could really add to that,” Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving said in his post-game press conference following Dallas’ 126-102 road loss to the Golden State Warriors on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Lakers coach JJ Redick said that he thought Dončić “will be fine” going up against his former team.
“Every day that he’s been with us, it’s becoming a little more normal,” added Redick. “I’ve been there. The first time you play your old team, particularly this close in time duration, it’s going to be weird. But he’ll be able to handle it.”
The game is also a homecoming of sorts for Anthony Davis, who was the other main piece of the blockbuster trade that brought Dončić to LA. Davis received a warm welcome from the Lakers faithful as the team honored him with a video tribute prior to the game.
Davis played five-and-a-half seasons for the Lakers and won a title in his first year with the team, as LA fans embraced “AD” as one of their own. The Mavs big man, though, has been out injured with a strained left adductor and watched Tuesday’s game from the bench in street clothes.
The Lakers are now a league-best 15-4 since January 15, according to the NBA, and 8-2 in their last 10, sitting fourth in the Western Conference. The injury-plagued Mavs, meanwhile, are 5-5 in their last 10 games, dropping the team to ninth in the West.
The-CNN-Wire
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