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In a heartfelt return to Dallas for the first time since his trade in early February, Luka Doncic dropped 45 points, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 112-97 victory. A pregame tribute added to the emotional atmosphere.
Following the tribute video, Doncic remarked, “After that video, it felt like there’s no way I could play this game. I was overwhelmed with emotions. I just focused on playing basketball,” reflecting on his first game as a visitor at the American Airlines Center.
With this victory, Doncic’s team improved to 49-31 in the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season, securing a position in the 2025 Playoffs sponsored by Google. The Lakers also made progress toward securing the third seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
Doncic shot 16 of 28 from the field, including an impressive seven three-pointers against the Dallas Mavericks. In his 38 minutes on the court, he also contributed eight rebounds, six assists, and four steals.
Describing his feelings, the Ljubljana native said, “It was a mix of happiness and anger. It was great to see some familiar faces here.”
He expressed relief post-game: “I’m exhausted. But I’m glad it’s over. I can finally get some sleep,” indicating the weight of anticipation had affected his rest leading up to the game on Wednesday.
Ukrainian teammate Alex Len was inactive for the match, while Maxi Kleber of Germany (undergoing right foot surgery) remained out for the squad led by coach JJ Redick.
In other news, the Phoenix Suns faced elimination from the playoffs after falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 125-112, at PHX Arena. Serbian Vasilije Micic did not play for the Suns, coached by Mike Budenholzer. On the winning side, several players were on the injury list, including Frenchman Ousmane Dieng (left calf strain), German Isaiah Hartenstein (left Achilles tendinitis), Belgian Ajay Mitchell (right great toe surgery), and Serbian Nikola Topic (left knee surgery).
Stay informed with the latest updates.
