Luka Doncic sends NBA fans into meltdown as Lakers star haunts former team in dramatic win against Mavericks
Luka Doncic sent NBA fans on a frenzy with an incredible performance in his first game against the Dallas Mavericks.
On Tuesday night, Doncic crossed paths with his old team for the first time since being shown the door out of Dallas when the Mavericks visited the Lakers in LA.
With the nation watching the Lakers-Mavs matchup, the first since Doncic got traded to Los Angeles, the Slovenian exacted revenge by becoming the fourth Laker to record a triple double within their first five games in purple and gold.
His performance had fans raving on social media as the close contest unfolded in downtown Los Angeles. The Lakers would win 107-99 after 48 minutes.
‘It would appear Luka may have taken this whole trade thing personally,’ Barstool Sports wrote.
Another said, ‘OH WOW, Luka Doncic buries a deep three-pointer and turns around to stare the Mavericks bench, I LOVE IT!!!’
Luka Doncic recorded a triple-double against the Mavericks in his first game against them
‘Luka came out firing,’ a third chimed in. Staring down the Mavs bench after all those buckets, you can tell how personal Doncic is taking this game. I love it, Luka getting his revenge today.’
‘Nico Harrison should quietly leave the building and book a flight to some remote country and never return,’ a fourth commented, pointing out the Mavs general manager who authored the Doncic trade.
Doncic immediately warranted a heat check and went into the intermission with 12 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists. The fired-up guard also got a technical early in the game after arguing over a no-call during a layup.
After four quarters, Doncic clocked out with 19 points, 15 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals, and two blocks.
NBA fans woke up to a seismic trade on February 2 when the three-way transaction between the Mavericks, Lakers, and Jazz shifted the plates in the NBA.
Los Angeles received Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris. On the other hand, they shipped Anthony Davis with Max Christie and a 2029 first-rounder. Meanwhile, the Jazz swiped Jalen Hood-Schifno and two second-round picks for the upcoming draft.
Doncic clocked out with 19 points, 15 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals, and two blocks
Before Tuesday’s game, Harrison looked as Doncic warmed up at Crypto.com Arena. He later became subject to ridicule as Angelinos chanted ‘Thank you, Nico,’ while Doncic shot free throws.
While many noted how Doncic stared down the Mavs bench after his buckets, the TNT panel suggested he was shooting darts at Harrison.
‘I can’t even explain how I felt,’ Doncic said of his performance. ‘I can’t wait to go to sleep, honestly.’
Apart from Doncic’s triple-double, LeBron James led the Lakers in scoring with 27 points and 12 rebounds. Meanwhile, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura tallied 20 and 15 points, respectively.
Kyrie Irving’s 35-piece performance came in vain as Dallas fell to a 31-28 record. The Mavericks have lost five of their ten games since the dramatic trade.
On the other hand, the Lakers have won seven of their nine outings since acquiring Doncic. Over halfway through the season, JJ Redick’s squad is 35-21, sitting fifth in the Western Conference.
Doncic’s triple-double came after he had a 32-point , 10-rebound game in a 123-100 beatdown over the Denver Nuggets.
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