It was a feisty start to Luka Doncic’s first game against his former team.
The former Mavericks star — and current Laker — glared over at the Dallas bench on several occasions and received a technical foul after passionately arguing with the refs in just the first quarter of Tuesday’s wild 107-99 Lakers win in Los Angeles.
Donic, 25, went off against his old squad with 19 points, 15 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals and two blocks.
“We just gotta embrace it,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said after the game. “It’s just a little weird, it just naturally is. I’ve never in my life playing basketball went to another team and played them the first time and said, ‘Oh, this is just another team.’ No, it isn’t. It’s healthy just to acknowledge it and embrace it. And then you play the game and never have to do that again.”
The game was sure to stir some emotions after the Mavericks stunned the basketball world and traded Doncic in a blockbuster deal that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas at the beginning of February.
OH WOW, Luka Doncic buries a deep three-pointer and turns around to stare the Mavericks bench, I LOVE IT!!! pic.twitter.com/78pgtFyuya
— Italo Santana (@BulletClubIta) February 26, 2025
Luka Doncic stared down his old team after draining a 3-pointer.
Doncic got hit with a technical early in the game after he argued over a non-call when he went for a layup and was clearly fouled.
The refs didn’t call it, however.
The frustrated Doncic said something to an official and was then given the technical.
LUKA DONCIC HITS THE THREE OVER 2 DEFENDERS AND STARES DOWN THE MAVS BENCH pic.twitter.com/RhwzYwmePD
— Lakers Empire (@LakersEmpire) February 26, 2025
Later in the first quarter, Doncic nailed two 3-pointers and glared over at the Dallas bench.
With a little over six minutes still on the clock, Doncic hit a deep trey ball to put the Lakers up 16-14, and as he was running back to play defense, he stared down the Mavs’ sitting along the sideline.
Luka Doncic celebrates during the Lakers’ game against the
Mavericks, his former team, on Feb. 25, 2025 in Los Angeles. NBAE via Getty ImagesHe did it again a few moments later after he dropped another 3-pointer to extend the Lakers’ lead to five.
“It was so weird in the moment,” Doncic said after the game. “I probably don’t know what I was doing, and I’m glad we got the win.”
The new Lakers star finished the night shooting 6 of 17 from the field while going 6-for-8 from the charity stripe.
Earlier in the evening, Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, in attendance at Crypto.com Arena, looked on as Doncic warmed up before the game.
A Mavs fan was filmed with a sign about loyalty as he stood right behind Harrison.
Luka Doncic reacts celebrates after Austin Reaves’ 3-point basket during the first half of the Lakers’ home against against the Mavericks, his former team. AP
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) and Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) hug after an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. APThe sign read “Loyalty Never Fades Away” but the word “Never” was crossed out.
Lakers fans, on the other hand, chanted “Thank you, Nico,” during the first half when Doncic went to the foul line.
Davis received a warm welcome in his first appearance back in his old home following the trade as the Lakers played a tribute video for him in the first quarter.
LeBron James and Austin Reaves scored 27 and 20, respectively, as the Lakers moved to 35-21.
