In a highly anticipated matchup, Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić faced his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, for the first time since being traded to the Lakers on February 2. Dončić recorded a triple double with 19 points, 12 assists, and 15 rebounds in a 107-99 victory for the Lakers. Despite emotions running high, Dončić stayed focused by sticking to his normal routine before the game. The Mavericks used double teams to limit Dončić’s scoring, forcing him to become more of a facilitator on the court. LeBron James led the Lakers in scoring with 27 points, while Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 35 points in a losing effort. The Lakers were without big man Anthony Davis, who was acquired in the trade for Dončić and has been sidelined with a thigh injury since February 8. After the game, Dončić expressed relief that the matchup was over and acknowledged that it will take time for him to process his emotions. With a 3-2 record in his first five games with the Lakers, Dončić is averaging 19.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. The Lakers will face the Mavericks again on April 9 in Dallas, giving Dončić another opportunity to compete against his former team.
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