LOS ANGELES— There’s a saying: “Play with emotion.”
Luka Deontic almost lost control in the first half of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 107-99 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.
Deontic was playing against his former team for the first time since the trade that sent him to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis. It didn’t take long for Doncic to earn a preliminary technical foul after sharing his frustration with an official about a no-call, as Davis was out with an injury.
Deontic said how he handled his emotions throughout the day. “These are weird moments. I’m just happy we got the win.”
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Lakers coach J.J. Red ick said before the game that he hoped Don cic would be able to balance his emotions throughout the evening. The coach admitted after the game that he felt Doncic was going through it in the first half before settling down.
Doncic said there was a lot of emotion and not a lot of sleep. I can’t even explain it. It was just a different game. …
Doncic shakes off some of that initial frustration with the referee.
“I think with him, when he has that balance of joy and playfulness and that killer mentality, he’s at his best,” Redick said during his pregame availability. “I’m totally living in the moment of the competition.
Doncic finished with a triple-double: 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists in 35 minutes of play. Doncic had three steals and two blocks and went 6-of-8 from the free-throw line.
LeBron James praised Doncic for how he handled his emotions. James has been in similar situations throughout his career playing for his former team.
“He handled them as well as you can,” James said. “When you give a lot to a franchise and give a lot to a franchise, a lot of emotions go into it.”
Lakers fans chant ‘Thank you, Niko!’ after Luka Doncic’s triple-double vs. Mavericks.
The Slovenian player began his seventh season with the Mavericks in late October before being traded in early February.
Doncic was playing quarterback again late Tuesday when he fired the ball from just inside the half-court line, completing a pass to James under the basket. James brought the ball down to give the Lakers a 96-91 lead with 4:05 left in the final period.
“That was really big,” Doncic said. “For him to do that and be 40 years old and take over the game, it was unbelievable to watch.”
The Lakers continued to bring fans to their feet with three consecutive dunks from former Maverick Dorian Finney-Smith, forward Rui Hachimura, and James.
The duo of James and Doncic connected once more for a layup, with James putting a smile on the guard’s face.
Luka Doncic reunited with the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday and showed them exactly what they left behind when they executed one of the most shocking trades in NBA history.
The Slovenian superstar recorded his first triple-double as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers in a 107-99 victory over his old team. He finished with 19 points on 6-of-17 shooting, 15 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals, and two blocks.
LeBron James and Austin Reeves weren’t terrible either, each recording at least 20 points, but it was Doncic’s night, as many players were expected to be upset about being traded late in the night.
The arena crowd joined in, chanting “Thank you, Nico” at Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, who was in the building, multiple times. To their credit, the Mavericks shook off the early onslaught and tied the game back up midway through the third quarter.
They made the Lakers uncomfortable on defense until a final run pushed L.A. up multiple scores with two minutes left. After a slow first half, James started making plays that made you forget he was 40. And that’s why many people thought it was a mistake to let him join forces with Doncic.
As eventful as Tuesday’s game was, it was a prelude to what would be the bigger event: Doncic’s return to Dallas on April 9. It’s a must-see for any NBA fan.
