The Lakers defeated the Mavericks 107-99, with Luka Doncic in action.
LOS ANGELES -- Luka Doncic guided the Lakers to a 107-99 victory over his former team on Tuesday, marking his achievement as just the third player to record a triple-double against every NBA franchise. However, his tone in the postgame press conference wasn’t one of celebration. Instead, Doncic appeared more relieved than anything.
"It was just a lot of emotions and not much sleep," he said about the game, which came just 3½ weeks after his trade from the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers. "I can't even explain [it]. It was a different game. ... Sometimes I don't know what I was doing.
"And I'm just glad it's over, honestly."
Doncic, who finished with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists, joined LeBron James and Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook as the only players to record a triple-double against all 30 NBA teams. However, he didn’t dominate the game against Dallas, shooting 6-for-17 from the field (1-for-7 from 3). It was James who carried the Lakers with 16 of his 27 points on 7-for-9 shooting in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
But Doncic pushed through a night that had been building since his trade from Dallas—an emotional challenge as he processed being around not just his former teammates, with whom he remains close, but also Mavericks’ management, including general manager Nico Harrison and coach Jason Kidd.
"It definitely will help me," Doncic said, reflecting on putting the game behind him. "It's definitely going to help in the long [run]."
Though Harrison was on the sideline during pregame warmups, Doncic mentioned he didn’t notice him. However, he clearly saw the Mavericks' bench, directing several shouts and stare-downs after making plays for his new team.
"Obviously there's a lot of emotion that goes in when you give so much to a franchise and you sacrifice for a franchise and you have that type of love and respect for a franchise -- throughout all the journeys," James said of Doncic. "They went to the Finals, all that stuff. He's grown from being an 18-, 19-year-old kid to now a 25-year-old man with a family. ... And when you move on or they move on from you, it's very emotional, obviously. It's very taxing.
"It's probably a lot of things that were going on in his head that probably didn't even involve the game itself. And with that said, I thought he handled it tremendously."
Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, who led all scorers with 35 points, admitted the matchup was "awkward as s---" after playing against the same player he had teamed with to take Dallas to the Finals last season.
"But," Irving added, "at the same time, it was fun. We got a chance to feel like we were in practice all over again going at each other. That was a good reflection point. And then just seeing the crowd cheer for him and just get him going ... it was fun competing."
Doncic referred to Irving as his "hermano," emphasizing their bond extends far beyond basketball.
The two teams will face off again in Dallas on April 9. Returning to his old home will present Doncic with new challenges, both emotional and otherwise. The Mavericks are hoping Anthony Davis, who was traded from Los Angeles to Dallas, will have recovered from the left adductor strain he suffered after the trade and be ready to play.
Lakers coach JJ Redick acknowledged the uniqueness of the situation. While it was a strange experience for Doncic, the Lakers also dealt with the emotions of seeing Davis back in the building, receiving a standing ovation in the first quarter as Los Angeles played a tribute video for him, before trying to send him away with a loss. The same emotions were felt when matching up against Max Christie, another part of the trade. Christie contributed 10 points and six assists for Dallas, playing with the same energy and athleticism that once defined him as a member of the Lakers.
"You kind of just got to embrace it," Redick said. "It's just a little weird. It just naturally is. ... It's healthy, actually, just to acknowledge it and embrace it. And then you play the game, and then you never have to do that again."
Or at least the next time Doncic and the Lakers face the Mavericks, they'll have had more time to establish a new normal.
"The closure is going to take a while, I think," Doncic said. "It's not ideal. But like I said, I'm glad this game is over. There was a lot of emotions. But we go little by little, and every day is better."