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READ MORE: Patrick and Brittany Mahomes sit court-side for the Lakers versus the Mavericks
Luka Doncic’s emotions overcame him at the start of his much-anticipated comeback to the game.
Dallas Mavericks
As a member of the Lakers — prior to demonstrating precisely what their former squad is lacking.
Dončić amassed an impressive 31 points by halftime, putting his Lakers squad ahead of the Mavericks by three with a score of 60-57 at the break. Although he cooled down in the second half, he finished the game with 45 points as the Lakers secured a victory with a final score of 112-97.
Doncic was traded to
Los Angeles
in February, teaming up with
LeBron James
In an action that reverberated throughout the U.S. sports scene.
At the time, he was recuperating from a calf problem and had not taken part in games with his team for several weeks prior to his sudden exit.
This indicated that the game on Wednesday evening provided an opportunity for both the Mavericks organization and their supporters to demonstrate their backing.
NBA
good that they went their separate ways.
Prior to the commencement of the match on Wednesday, the Mavericks presented a tribute video honoring Doncic, which showcased his journey with the team from the NBA draft all the way up to his final game.
Wearing a Lakers jersey, the Slovenian seemed emotional watching the video as he wiped away tears and later hid his face in his towel.
As The Mavericks’ supporter base cheered loudly for him during his warm-up session on the court prior to the match, they also erupted in applause when his name was called out as part of the Lakers’ roster.
This marks the first time Doncic has returned to Dallas since his trade from the team he joined at the age of 18.
‘Drew tears from my eyes,’ Doncic said to ESPN immediately following the match.
‘I arrived here as a young teenager at 18 years old, with no idea what to anticipate from the NBA. The Mavericks made me feel right at home, and I have so many wonderful memories from my time there.’
Regarding his performance following that emotionally charged video, he stated: “I’m not sure how I managed it because when I watched that footage, I felt, ‘No way am I going to play this game.’”
But, as you understand, all my teammates stood behind me. They were truly providing their support.
The match also witnessed Anthony Davis facing off against his old squad at his current arena. The Lakers traded Davis to bring Doncic out west to California.
On a losing night, he managed to score just 13 points against his former squad.
The Lakers are fighting to secure third place in the Western Conference as they have just two regular-season games remaining before the playoffs begin.
Dončić and his intense look take on the Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers prior to progressing to the playoffs.
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