Luka Doncic scored 31 of her 45 points during the first half of her long-awaited Dallas home when visiting Los Angeles Lakers defeated Maverick’s 112-97 on Wednesday.
Doncic’s 46th career 40-point games were supplemented with eight returns and six assists, while joining 16 out of 28 from the floor and 7 out of 10 3-points.
Lebron James published 27 points and seven boards, and Rui Hachimura added 15 points when Lakers (49-31) strengthened his grip on third place in the Western Conference.
Naji Marshall contributed 23 points and eight assists for Dallas, PJ Washington got 14, and Anthony Davis – in his first match for Dallas against his old side – ended with 13 points, 11 returns and six assists.
The result leaves Dallas (38-42) which still requires another victory to secure the 10th place in the west.
Doncic, who was traded from Dallas to Los Angeles for Davis as part of a blockbuster agreement on February 2, became emotionally during a foreplay video residents, before receiving a ear -ear applause when his name was called during the starting assignments.
Doncic, who on average was a franchise record 28.6 points in 422 matches for Dallas, got arousing cheers with each possession or points, especially early.
His 14 points for the first quarter were compensated for by five turnover in Los Angeles, when the Marshall-led Mavericks advanced 30-26 at the first break.
Doncic dominated the second period, drained 3 out of 3 Treys and scored 17 of his team’s 34 points, when Los Angeles took a lead of 60-57 at half time.
James, who only had eight points in the first half when he played second violin to Doncic, came alive in the third and helped Lakers pillow balloon to 78-65, before Marshall on his own weather out the storm for Dallas and trimmed the gap back to 83-76 with a quarter to play.
Max Christie’s tip-thunk edged MAVs in front of 84-83, but their time ahead was short when James led a 9-0 Los Angeles response within 90 seconds, and Lakers was never threatened remotely again.
Doncic’s Stepback 3 pointer and strong driving force blew the margin to 110-94 before the five-time all-n first team elections were replaced with 1:34 left to a standing ovation.
-Field level media
