LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� Although Luka Doncic speaks four languages, he struggled for the words to express just how strange it was to play against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night.
Just 23 days after his world was upended by , Doncic was on the Los Angeles Lakers' home court to face those same Mavs. His feelings of betrayal and uncertainty are still fresh, and they affected a performance that was inconsistent, occasionally brilliant and altogether fraught with anxiety.
鈥淚t was just a lot of emotions I was feeling,鈥� Doncic said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 even explain. It was a different game. Sometimes, I don鈥檛 know what I was doing. I鈥檓 just glad it鈥檚 over, honestly.鈥�
Doncic鈥檚 game was all over the place 鈥� just like his head.
He posted his first triple-double in a Lakers uniform, but he also missed 11 of his 17 shots and was wild from 3-point range. He made a dozen sublime passes and at least that many big defensive plays, yet he could only score two points in the fourth quarter of a tight game.
鈥淚t was so weird,鈥� Doncic said. 鈥淭here were moments I felt like I don鈥檛 know what I was doing. I鈥檓 glad we got a win.鈥�
Fortunately for Doncic, he now has for a teammate 鈥� and the top scorer in NBA history simply wouldn't let Luka lose.
In that fourth quarter, the Lakers' eager fans saw another glimpse of what Doncic and James can become. James took over the game, scoring 16 of his 27 points in the final period 鈥� including three key buckets on passes from Doncic to cap his superb playmaking performance.
Doncic finished with 19 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists in the 81st triple-double of his career.
His teammates would have known it was an important night even if they hadn't seen Doncic take a few meaningful looks at the Mavs' bench, and they helped to sand off the rough edges on Doncic's cathartic evening.
鈥淲e understood as his teammates that we wanted to try to get this win for him,鈥� James said. 鈥淥bviously, we know what transpired not too long ago. As his teammates, we wanted just to back him in any way, shape or form. Happy that I was 鈥� along with my teammates 鈥� able to make a couple of plays down the stretch to get him this win. I know he probably won鈥檛 say it, but I think it means something to him for sure.鈥�
Doncic was at the center of the Lakers鈥� attack from the start against Dallas. He missed a 3-pointer after the opening tip, but blocked a shot on Dallas鈥� first possession before adding a layup and an assist on a 3-pointer by James moments later.
Doncic was hyped, as evidenced when he got whistled for an early technical foul by referee Pat Fraher for overzealously protesting a non-call. Two teammates rushed over to Doncic to make sure it went no further.
Dallas general manager Nico Harrison, who has probably bet his career on trading Doncic, was at the game from pregame warmups onward. Doncic said he didn't see him.
While Doncic shot some early free throws, Lakers fans started a chant that returned throughout the night: 鈥淭hank you Nico! Thank you Nico!鈥�
Mark Cuban, who sold controlling interest in the Mavericks 14 months ago, also watched the game from courtside. The billionaire jokingly booed Doncic a few times before Doncic grinningly replied: 鈥淪hut up, Mark!鈥�
鈥淚t was awkward, but at the same time, it was fun,鈥� said Dallas guard Kyrie Irving, Doncic's good friend. 鈥淲e got a chance to feel like we were in practice all over again, going at each other. That was a good reflection point, and then just seeing the crowd cheer for him and just get him going and see him make some of the tough shots that I鈥檝e seen him make thousands of times, that probably made it even more awkward. But it was fun. It鈥檚 fun competing.鈥�
Doncic was widely assumed to be untouchable as one of the league's best players at just 25 years old 鈥� 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.
This game would have been twice as portentous if Anthony Davis had been healthy, but the 10-time All-Star big man who teamed up with James to lead the Lakers to the 2020 championship with a groin injury sustained in his Mavs debut.
Davis 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 scored all of his 10 points in the first half.
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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AP NBA:
Greg Beacham, The Associated Press
