“It Was So Many Emotions”: Luka Dončić Drops 45 in Dallas Return as Lakers Clinch Playoff Spot
Luka Dončić scored 45 points in his return to Dallas, leading the Lakers past the Mavericks and clinching a playoff spot in an emotional homecoming game.
Luka Dončić returned to the city he once carried — and reminded everyone what they had lost.
In his first game in Dallas since being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 2, Dončić scored 45 points, matching his season high, and added eight rebounds, six assists, and four steals to lead the Lakers to a 112-97 win over the Mavericks on Wednesday night. The victory clinched a playoff spot for the Lakers and strengthened their grip on the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.
The 26-year-old Slovenian superstar spent six and a half seasons with the Mavericks, earning five All-NBA First-Team selections and leading Dallas to the 2024 NBA Finals and two Western Conference Finals. His return was met with emotional tributes, standing ovations, and a powerful performance that defined the night.
A Blockbuster Trade, a Charged Atmosphere
The blockbuster deal that sent Dončić to the Lakers — along with Markieff Morris and Maxi Kleber — in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick, came with two years still left on Dončić’s contract. The trade stunned fans, and Wednesday night reflected both their continued support for Dončić and frustration with the organization.
Dončić set the tone before tipoff with a dramatic arrival, showing up at American Airlines Center in his matte-black apocalypse-style Hellfire Jeep — a vehicle that looked more like a tactical tank than a luxury ride. The message was clear: this wasn’t just another game.
“It was a little bit of both — happy and angry,” Dončić said of returning to the arena for the first time since the trade. “It was nice to see some familiar faces. I spent a lot of time with them. I really appreciate the fans and the way they reacted to me.”
Roughly an hour before tipoff, Dončić stepped onto the court for his pre-game workout and was greeted by loud applause from fans who had already taken their seats. He smiled, waved, and dapped up several former Mavericks teammates and coaches. Just before heading back to the locker room, he nailed a half-court shot — a ritual he often performed in Dallas — prompting another wave of cheers that foreshadowed the emotional rollercoaster to come.
During player introductions, Dončić was announced last among the Lakers’ starters — and the American Airlines Center crowd erupted. The ovation rivaled anything he received as a Maverick, with fans rising to their feet in a sustained roar of admiration, nostalgia, and appreciation. It wasn’t just applause but a welcome home, however temporary.
Next came the tribute video. Just before tipoff, the Mavericks played a two-and-a-half-minute highlight reel of Dončić’s greatest moments in Dallas. Every fan in attendance received a shirt with the phrase “thanks so much” written in Slovenian. As the video played, Dončić sat alone on the Lakers’ bench, wiping away tears.
“After that video, I was like, there’s no way I’m playing this game,” Dončić said. “It was so many emotions. I just went out there and played basketball.”
It was an emotional moment for Dončić and those close to him who supported him throughout his Mavericks tenure and continue to do so. Dončić’s parents, agent Bill Duffy, manager Lara Beth Seager, and the president of the Slovenian Basketball Federation were all in attendance.
Then, the game began — and with it, a collision of cheers and jeers. Chants of “Fire Nico” erupted just four seconds into the opening possession, aimed at Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, who watched from the tunnel. They echoed throughout each quarter and grew louder during free throw attempts, underscoring the frustration still simmering across the fan base.
MVP Chants and a Masterclass
Dončić scored 14 points in the first quarter and received a standing ovation when he went to the bench. He had 31 by halftime — his highest-scoring first half of the season — on 11-of-16 shooting, including 6-of-8 from deep. The Lakers led 60-57 at the break. Dallas could not survive by switching everything, struggled to maintain a paint presence with two bigs on the court, and didn’t rotate well out of doubles. It was a painful reminder of the talent of a player Mavericks coach Jason Kidd used to refer to as “the system” and “the gameplan.”
Fans cheered Dončić after his first bucket. Later, chants of “MVP” and “Fire Nico” collided as he stood at the free throw line. By the fourth quarter, his performance had evolved into a full takeover. He crossed the 40-point mark on a reverse layup and added a floater and step-back three down the stretch.
“Big time, because they all had my back,” Dončić said of his Lakers teammates. “What we talked about before the game — everybody had my back, from coaches to players. We’re trying to build something special here, and that was really, really, really nice to see.”
Lakers head coach J.J. Redick said he reminded Dončić before the game that the team would support him through the emotion of the moment — and afterward, he praised Dončić’s ability to deliver under pressure.
“I thought he was going to get 50. I was disappointed,” Redick joked.
Then, with sincerity, he added: “Some of his teammates got emotional, some of the coaches got emotional. It was a beautiful moment. His ability to then go perform, he's teary-eyed still as we walk out on the court for the tip drill. To have the emotional resolve and then go put on that kind of performance, it's superhuman.”
LeBron James added 27 points — including 13 in the fourth quarter — along with seven rebounds and six assists to help seal the win for Los Angeles.
“That was our only concern, is for us to support him,” James said of Dončić. “And be there for him in whatever way we could be throughout the whole entire game. That was our only motto, our only motive, our only thought process. Everything was to make sure that we were there for him in any way, shape or form.”
In his first appearance in Dallas since the trade, Anthony Davis totaled 13 points and 11 rebounds while drawing frequent double-teams. Naji Marshall led the Mavericks with 23 points and eight assists.
“Anytime I caught it, they were sending two guys, sometimes three,” Davis said. “We just got to clean that up and try to get guys to flash and take advantage of it if they’re trying to front the post or have somebody tilting on the backside.”
Despite shooting 50% from the field and 34.6% from three, the Mavericks committed 20 turnovers, leading to 25 Lakers points. Los Angeles shot 46.7% overall and 33.3% from beyond the arc, but still managed to pull out the victory.
“We got to take care of the ball,” Marshall said. “If we take care of the ball we can get good shots or any shot that we want. It’s something we definitely have to correct, but we’ll be alright.”
James Takes Over, Lakers Close Strong
After Dallas rallied from a double-digit deficit to tie the game at 87 early in the fourth, James responded with a three-point play at the 8:10 mark and a layup moments later to give the Lakers the lead for good. Los Angeles closed the game on a 25-10 run, fueled by both stars and capitalizing on Dallas’ mistakes.
“He did the same thing in LA,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “We thought we were back in the game – actually, we took the lead – and then all of a sudden he appears. So, when you focus so much on Luka, he took advantage of it, and he knows how to do that. He’s played this game for a couple of years, and so he understands when to go, and he went at the right time, and there was nothing that we could do.”
Davis highlighted how the Lakers managed to force turnovers frequently, leading to transition opportunities. With James getting the ball on the move, the Mavericks struggled to finish those plays defensively. However, Davis felt the defense did its job effectively against James in more stagnant isolation situations.
“They were just moving the basketball. I think they had something like 11 steals,” Davis said. “LeBron was slashing, getting easy looks, getting out in transition. The other players were involved too. I think when he had the ball in iso, we did a good job, but a lot of his points came off cuts and over-help situations.”
Dončić ended his performance after making some dynamic plays down the stretch, including a step-back 3-pointer, a flashy reverse layup, and a final floater to reach the 45-point mark. They were final reminders of what Mavericks fans cherished during his time with the team and what Harrison gave up.
During a late timeout, the Lakers’ bench surrounded Dončić, chanting his name as fans filled the arena with cheers. He checked out with 1:34 left, greeted by applause from both teams’ benches.
“Honestly, I don’t really know. I wasn’t even thinking,” Dončić said. “I was just sitting there like, ‘It’s over.’ We won, and I had a great time.”
Familiar Connections and Questions of Closure
After the final buzzer, Dončić embraced several former teammates, Anthony Davis, Patrick Mahomes, and Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban. He shared a final hug with his father, Saša, and waved to the crowd before walking down the tunnel to sustained chants of “Luka.”
“Yeah, like I said, those are my brothers,” Dončić said. “I know we’re not on the same team now, but I’m always in contact with them. We went through wars together. It was just nice to see everybody.”
Asked whether the night brought him closure, Dončić paused and reflected.
“That’s a hard question. It’s for sure a little bit more,” he said. “Talking about closure is sometimes hard because, like I said, I spent a lot of time here. Great moments. But I’ve got to focus on different things now.”
From the Mavericks’ perspective, fans will not move on anytime soon—perhaps ever. If it wasn’t already apparent, this trade is about as unpopular as imaginable.
Before the game, Kidd acknowledged the emotional weight of Dončić’s return and emphasized the need to keep perspective. However, he oddly invited comparisons to the Babe Ruth trade, which didn’t work out for the Red Sox, given what followed: an 86-year run of not winning a championship, described as the “Curse of the Bambino.”
“With 77, there’s a lot of hope. With Luka, there was always hope. But this is a business. Trades happen. This won’t be the last one. Some have even compared this to Babe Ruth, which is kind of cool,” Kidd said. “Change happens in sports, but it’s how you respond to that change that matters. The special people are the ones who keep going. Fans have every right to boo or cheer — that’s their role.”
Despite the circumstances, Kidd encouraged Mavericks fans to support the team they have now, highlighting the accolades Davis has accumulated in his career. Kidd also emphasized how each player in a Mavs uniform continues to play hard, while placing his trust in Harrison and owner Patrick Dumont to build a championship team.
“Hope is still in our locker room. AD is not a bad player. He’s top 75 all time if I remember correctly,” Kidd continued. “He’s won at every level. People have different opinions on how things were handled — that conversation will always be there.”
“When you watch the guys wearing Mavericks uniforms, they play hard, they play together, and they’re trying to win,” Kidd explained further. “There’s still hope — and there will be 10 years from now. The league keeps going. That train doesn’t stop for anybody. We believe in Nico and Patrick. They’ll do what it takes to put the right pieces in place to give us a real chance to win a championship.”
There was also mutual respect between Dončić and Davis, the two stars at the center of the blockbuster trade.
“He’s a generational talent,” Davis said. “He’s a great player. I think we did a good job of making him take tough shots, but he’s able to make tough shots. Hats off to him. He played a great game.”
Dončić offered praise of his own: “In the end, with AD—we got traded for each other, so from now on, everybody’s gonna compare us two. But I think he’s an amazing player, and I think he’s gonna do really good in Dallas.”
What It Means Moving Forward
The Mavericks (38–42) are guaranteed a losing season just one year after making the NBA Finals. Due to Oklahoma City's win over Phoenix, they’ve clinched a spot in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament. Meanwhile, the Lakers (49–31) will host the Houston Rockets on Friday with a chance to secure the No. 3 seed after already clinching a playoff spot due to defeating Dallas.
“First of all, it’s big time that we clinched a playoff spot,” Dončić said. “You don’t want to be in the play-in. You get some rest. But obviously we want the third seed, and we’re going to go after it.”
If Dallas defeats Toronto and Memphis to close the regular season and Sacramento loses both of its remaining games, the Mavericks will host the Kings on April 16. Otherwise, the game will be held in Sacramento.
“We have two games left to get things going in the right direction before we play Sacramento, so that’s all I’m going to worry about,” Kidd said. “Understanding, all the emotions and all the attention on this game. This game is over. There’s nothing we can do. (Dončić) is not coming back as a Mav. He’s with the Lakers, so we have to move forward. And that’s what we’ve done.”
With Kyrie Irving out for the season following ACL surgery, the Mavericks face a steep climb through the play-in format to reach the first round.
Injury Updates
Danté Exum was in uniform for the first time since suffering a fractured left hand, but did not play.
“He had a good workout this evening,” Kidd said. “We’ll see if he can take the court. Hopefully, this is a sign of good things to come. He wants to play. To be able to come back a week early is good and much-needed for us.”
The team continues exploring standard contract conversions for members of the roster, including Brandon Williams, before the final weekend.
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