Luka Doncic’s emotional return to the Dallas Mavericks was a “so weird” experience, but ultimately, his Los Angeles Lakers teammates helped him secure a win. The 25-year-old star, who was traded just 23 days ago, struggled with emotions and inconsistencies in his performance.
Doncic, who is now on his 81st triple-double of his career, said the game felt “different” due to his feelings of betrayal and uncertainty. He played well, finishing with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists, but was also affected by anxiety and frustration at times.
The crowd’s chants of “Thank you Nico!” for Dallas general manager Nico Harrison were awkward, given the circumstances, but Doncic took it in stride. Mark Cuban’s jokes from courtside added to the tension, with Doncic responding with a grin.
Despite the complexities of the game, LeBron James’ presence was a stabilizing factor, and he helped secure a win for the Lakers by scoring 16 points in the final quarter. The victory is a relief for Doncic and his new teammates, who will look to build on this performance when they face the Mavericks again on April 9.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/luka-doncic-mavericks-lakers-43000d910cd722295dfa786e937b9bba