Rarely does the home team crowd want the visiting team to win.
But rarely does a team trade a generational star – a revered star at that – entering his prime, infuriating a fanbase and invoking vitriol toward ownership and the front office led by general manager Nico Harrison.
It was one of the most surprising and controversial trades in league history.
With fans wearing new Doncic Lakers jerseys and old Doncic Mavs jerseys, rooting for him and chanting “Fire Nico,” the 26-year-old Slovenian star put on a special performance. Doncic scored a game-high 45 points in the Lakers’ 112-97 victory against the Mavericks.
Mavericks welcome Luka Doncic with wonderful tribute
The Mavericks may have botched trading Doncic. They didn’t botch his first return to Dallas as a member of the Lakers. The gameday operations staff handled Doncic’s visit with class.
During pregame introductions of the starting five, the team played a tribute video on Doncic’s finest moments with the Mavericks.
The gesture moved Doncic to tears. He was acquired by the Mavs on draft night, spent the first six-plus years of his career there and was named to five All-NBA teams with the Mavs. He also helped Dallas to an NBA Finals appearance last season.
“Obviously, he meant a lot to Dallas, and Dallas meant a lot to him,” Lakers coach JJ Redick told ESPN during a between-quarters interview.
Not that Mavs fans needed a reminder of what they no longer have, but Doncic reminded them anyway.
How many points did Luka Doncic score against the Mavs?
Doncic lit up the Mavericks, scoring 45 points on 16-for-28 shooting (7-for-10 on 3-pointers), grabbing eight rebounds, delivering six assists and collecting four steals.
He was on fire from the start. He made his first shot and ended the first quarter with 14 points. Doncic was even better in the second quarter, scoring 17 points and missing just one of his seven attempts from the field and making all three of his 3-point attempts. He had 31 points on 11-for-16 shooting in 19 minutes in the first half, and it was the 10th 30-point half of his career.
He cooled off scoring-wise but still delivered what the Lakers needed (a win) and what fans wanted (a memorable performance).
LeBron James’ remarkable games played mark
LeBron James played in his 1,561st regular-season NBA game against Dallas, moving past Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and into second place on the league’s all-time games played list.
He trails Robert Parish (1,611 games) and barring an injury or surprising decision not to play next season, James will pass Parish and add another record to his collection in 2026.
The next-highest active player is Chris Paul (1,352 games).
The 40-year-old James, who had 27 points and seven rebounds against Dallas, is in his 22nd season. Of the 19 seasons in which an 82-game schedule was in place, James has played in at least 65 games 16 times. In the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season, he played in 62 of 66 games, and in back-to-back COVID-shortened seasons in 2019-20 and 2020-21, he played in 67 of 71 games and 45 of 72 games.
He has played in 88% of his team’s regular-season games – and has never missed a playoff game.
That kind of availability along with talent has allowed James to accomplish feats few other players have – and sometimes no other player has.
Where are the Lakers in the Western Conference playoff race?
The Lakers improved to 49-31, and the victory guarantees the Lakers will make the playoffs and avoid a play-in game scenario. With a victory in one of their final two games, they can clinch the No. 3 seed and home-court advantage in at least the first round of the playoffs.
If the Lakers get the No. 3 seed, their first-round opponent is unknown. The Denver Nuggets (48-32), Los Angeles Clippers (48-32), Memphis Grizzlies (47-32) and Golden State Warriors (47-33) are fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh in the standings. The Minnesota Timberwolves are in the mix at 46-33.
There are no easy paths in the deep and talented West but by finishing with the No. 3 seed, the Lakers have the potential to avoid first-place Oklahoma City until the conference finals.
Where are the Mavericks in the Western Conference playoff race?
The Mavericks fell to 38-42 and remain in 10th place in the West. Dallas, which has been decimated by injuries, has secured a spot in the play-in tournament, though, after Phoenix was eliminated from playoff contention later Wednesday night with its eighth consecutive loss.
The Mavs will play the Kings in the 9-10 game, likely in Sacramento (the Kings have a 1½-game lead).
Who won the Luka Doncic trade?
Short term, there’s no question the Lakers won the trade – both on the court and in the court of public opinion. The Lakers will finish with a better record, a guaranteed spot in the playoffs and the Luka-LeBron combo creates problems for any defense. The Lakers are also in position to retain Doncic after his current contract, which allows him to become a free agent after the 2025-26 season.
For the Mavs to someday win the trade, they need to win a championship – regardless if Doncic wins one with the Lakers. That’s the gamble the Mavs took, that they are better off without Doncic.
This story has been updated with new information.
This post appeared first on USA TODAY
