In his first meeting with the Mavs since they traded him away, Doncic knew he was the center of attention, and the Slovenian superstar appeared ready to rise to the occasion.
Doncic had 12 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists for the Los Angeles Lakers at halftime Tuesday night, closing in rapidly on his 81st career triple-double. His first 80 came with Dallas, where he became one of the NBA's best players during 6 1/2 seasons.
Just 23 days after the Mavericks and the Lakers made the most surprising sports trade in years, the teams faced off in downtown Los Angeles. And while Anthony Davis was sidelined due to injury, Dallas had to face Doncic — last season's scoring champion, a five-time All-NBA selection and the face of the Mavericks franchise until general manager Nico Harrison suddenly decided he wasn't.
“The business of basketball can be shocking,” said Dallas coach Jason Kidd, who remains close to Doncic. “And it was shocking to the world. But you have to move forward. You have to push forward. (Doncic) has a job to do, and that’s to play basketball at a high level, and I think he can do that.”
Doncic was at the center of the Lakers' attack from the start against Dallas.
He missed a 3-pointer after the opening tip, but blocked a shot on Dallas' first possession before adding a layup and an assist on a 3-pointer by LeBron James moments later.
Doncic was hyped, as evidenced when he got whistled for a technical foul by referee Pat Fraher for overzealously protesting a non-call. Two teammates rushed over to Doncic to make sure it went no farther.
Doncic hit two early 3-pointers, but one was taken off the board a few minutes afterward when the replay center ruled he had stepped out of bounds.
While he shot free throws, Lakers fans started a chant: “Thank you Nico! Thank you Nico!”
Doncic found a groove again in the second quarter, highlighted by his amazing pass to Reaves for a 3-pointer.
Doncic was widely assumed to be untouchable as one of the league's best players at just 25 years old — and particularly after carrying the Mavs to the NBA Finals last season. Harrison thought otherwise, and the Lakers eagerly gave up a championship-winning big man to acquire a younger foundational talent for the next decade and beyond.
Doncic declined to speak about the matchup after practice Monday, but his new teammates and coaches expected him to handle it gracefully.
“He’s at his best when he has that balance of joy and playfulness and that killer mentality, just perfectly living in the moment of competition,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “He’ll find that tonight.”
Davis, the 10-time All-Star big man who teamed up with James to lead the Lakers to the 2020 championship, is out at least two more weeks with a groin injury sustained in his Mavs debut. He still attended the game, and he got a standing ovation in the first quarter when the Lakers aired a lengthy tribute video to their longtime center, who waved both arms in gratitude.
Los Angeles also welcomed back Max Christie, the Lakers' former second-round pick who grew into a starter this season before the trade. Christie had 10 points in the first half.
Redick said he will always be grateful for Davis’ quick acceptance of him as a head coach this season when Redick had no prior experience in the job.
“I miss being around him every day,” Redick said. “He’s a fantastic human being, wonderful teammate.”
Doncic was stunned and hurt by the trade, and the upheaval was compounded by the fact he was still recovering from a strained left calf that sidelined him for 6 1/2 weeks. He has returned to the court gradually with his new team, but Doncic already is finding his stride alongside James in the Lakers' new starting lineup.
After struggling with his shot at times during his first three games with the Lakers, Doncic led Los Angeles to a surprising blowout win at Denver on Saturday night. Doncic had 32 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and four steals in a superb performance against an opponent that easily had handled the Lakers for years.
“He is the game plan,” Kidd said. “He is a Picasso. He’s going to paint beautiful paintings. You’ve just got to make it tough. ... When he’s smiling, he’s in a great place and he’s having fun. It’s good to see that he’s smiling here of late.”
The next trade reunion should be even crazier: The Lakers visit Dallas on April 9, and Mavs fans already have been extraordinarily vocal in their displeasure with Harrison and the Dallas ownership group.
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