Luka Dončić reunited with the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, and confirmed them precisely what they gave up after they executed essentially the most stunning commerce in NBA historical past.
The Slovenian celebrity recorded his first triple-double as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers in a 107-99 win in opposition to his outdated workforce. He completed with 19 factors on 6-of-17 taking pictures, 15 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals and two blocks.
LeBron James and Austin Reaves weren’t shabby both, every recording at the least 20 factors, but it surely was Dončić’s night time, as so many anticipated from a participant reported to be livid about getting traded at midnight.
Dončić got here out of the gate clearly gunning to humiliate his outdated workforce. He stared down their bench after making one of his first 3-pointers and confirmed up in all places when he was on the courtroom. That included the most effective assists of the season, when he whipped the ball behind his head for a no-look cross to Austin Reaves.
The Crypto.com Area crowd joined in, directing “Thanks, Nico” chants at Mavericks basic supervisor Nico Harrison, who was within the constructing, a number of occasions. To their credit score, the Mavericks shook off the early onslaught and had the sport shut once more by halfway by means of the third quarter.
They made the Lakers uncomfortable on protection, till a remaining run pushed L.A. up a number of scores with two minutes to go. After a sluggish first half, James began making the performs that make you neglect he is 40 years outdated. And that is why fairly a number of folks thought permitting him to affix forces with Dončić was a mistake.
As eventful as Tuesday’s recreation was, it was simply the preface to what would be the large occasion: Dončić’s return to Dallas on April 9. That will probably be required anticipating any fan of the NBA. And, , drama.
Here is the way it all went down at Yahoo Sports activities:
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Lakers performed 24 minutes with each LeBron James & Luka Doncic on courtroom tonight.
They performed 11 minutes with Doncic on with out James.
They performed 13 minutes with James on with out Doncic.
The Mavs scratched and clawed their approach out of a 16-point deficit, and had a number of probabilities — a pair of 3s by Naji Marshall, one other by Klay Thompson — to go on prime halfway by means of the fourth quarter. All of them got here up empty, although, and a 14-point fourth quarter from LeBron James was sufficient to slam the door shut. Luka will get his first triple-double as a Laker (19 factors, 15 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals, two blocks) in a 107-99 win over his former workforce.
FINAL: Lakers 107, Mavericks 99
Luka Dončić was as marketed, from passes to pettiness. He will get his first triple-double as a Laker and, with a bit of assist from LeBron James and Austin Reaves, will get a win over a workforce he’s going to carry a grudge in opposition to for some time.
Professional tip, Mavs: Would possibly wish to get a physique on 23 in purple and gold. Man with “James” on the again of his jersey.
Nice work by the Lakers protection there: Dorian Finney-Smith chases Kyrie Irving excessive of the ball display screen; Luka steps as much as contest Kyrie’s pull-up, forcing him to drop the ball off to a rolling Naji Marshall; LeBron slides as much as cease Marshall within the paint; DFS sprints from the highest of the important thing to the nook to remove PJ Washington’s nook 3; LeBron slides alongside the baseline to pressure PJ into a clumsy reverse layup strive that misses every part.
Push off the miss, Luka kicks it forward to LeBron with a deep seal within the paint, dunk. Lakers by 5, timeout Mavs. And all of it begins with on-a-string rotations.
Whoa. LeBron airballed a free throw. Don’t see that every single day.
The Lakers are getting a ton of open 3’s with Dallas scrambling defensively, however they are not hitting many.
They’re now 11 for 40 (27.5%), whereas the Mavs are 16 for 38 (42.1%).
We would possibly be 5 and a half minutes away from Nico Harrison making essentially the most glad stroll out of a constructing in human historical past.
Klay has someway caught fireplace within the fourth. And the sport is tied at 91. Dallas is discovering offense as a result of the protection is there. On a string. Aggressive.
Luka Doncic will get his tenth help on a LeBron James 3-pointer and he formally has his first triple-double as a Laker with 17 factors and 15 rebounds, plus three blocks and two assists.
LeBron James put the Lakers again up 5 with a fantastic transition bucket, however Klay Thompson simply scored 3 times in 4 possessions to tie it.
You hear coaches say it on a regular basis: “Make them really feel you.” The purpose defensively is to pressure the offense out of its consolation zone, pressure opponents to do one thing they don’t wish to do; with their ball strain, excessive pickup factors, switches, aggressive blitzes and connectivity, the Mavs made the Lakers really feel them within the third. The sport’s within the mud now. Can the Lakers get it again to glitz and glamour?
The Lakers offense has someway grinded to a halt within the third quarter. LeBron not in rhythm, they mustered solely 19 within the third.
It is 78-77 Lakers on the finish of the third quarter. The Mavericks had a number of probabilities to take the lead and failed, however they’re nonetheless positively the workforce with momentum now.
The Mavs don’t have a lot wholesome dimension proper now, however they do have some high-quality complementary wings. Christie, Marshall and Dinwiddie have all made contributions tonight, and now Danté Exum is becoming a member of them, with 5 fast factors and a self-sacrificial low-man rotation to pressure LeBron James right into a turnover. Actually scrappy efficiency by Dallas right here within the third.
Dante Exum is down clutching his head after a HARD elbow to the face from LeBron James. Appeared unintentional and never a foul, however that needed to harm. Officers are reviewing as a flagrant.
