One of the Lakers' most anticipated regular-season matchups took place Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. The Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Dallas Mavericks in Luka Doncic's first game facing his former team.
As Doncic is still playing himself into shape and getting acclimated to the Lakers, it was an emotional night for the 25-year-old superstar. Even though he didn't have his best game, especially in terms of efficiency, he still finished with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists. His increased effort level to prove himself to the Mavericks was obvious.
And most importantly, the Lakers secured the 107-99 win to improve to 35-21 for the season.
After the game, Doncic addressed the media and discussed his emotions about facing his former teammates. Per ESPN's Dave McMenamin, Doncic was glad to be done with the game as he "didn't know what he was doing [out there]."
Luka Doncic on playing his former team for the first time tonight: “Sometimes I didn’t know what I was doing [out there] … I am just glad it’s over.”
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 26, 2025
NBA News: Luka Doncic Makes First Statement on Facing the Mavs
Doncic's defensive effort showed up on the stat sheet with three steals and two blocks. While the Lakers' offense hasn't looked particularly dominant in the recent stretch, they have been one of the best defensive teams in the league.
The Lakers were able to hold the Mavs to 99 points, partly because of how short-handed Dallas was. Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively are still out with injuries, leaving the Mavericks with minimal frontcourt depth.
Playing in front of the Los Angeles crowd certainly helped Doncic on Tuesday. The real test for him will be on April 9th, when he will play in Dallas for the first time since the trade. Mavericks fans continue to be furious with their front office and ownership and will presumably welcome Doncic with open arms for that outing. That game will be must-watch TV as the Lakers battle for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.