At a local sports bar in Dallas-Fort Worth on Tuesday night, a Mavericks fan summarized and looked at Luka Doncic wearing her former team in an interesting way.
“They will shoot dirt on my grave,” he said, “and this trade is still not meaningful.”
It was among the many emotional taken from a fan base that remains in distrust of seeing their superstar traded to the Los Angeles Lakers less than a month ago. It is still surreal to see Doncic in another sweater, and it was still stranger when he met Mavericks for the first time as an opposite player.
Doncic published a triple double with 19 points, 15 returns and 12 assists in Lakers’ 107-99 victory. He is now only the third player who records a triple toddle against each NBA team.
Doncic did not have his best shooting night and finished 6-for-17 from the field, including 1-for-7 from 3-point intervals. But his triple bold acted as a reminder of the numbers he can put up on an off-night.
For his part, Doncic described a feeling of relief afterwards.
“I think that during the first quarter, the second quarter, I didn’t know what happened,” he said. “It was just different. I can’t even explain how it felt. I can’t wait to sleep, honestly. “
The 19 points were the second most Doncic has done in five matches with Lakers. It was his first triple stubbly with Lakers, an achievement he achieved 80 times in seven seasons with Mavericks.
However, more than the numbers were simply the very moment. It has been a whirlwind for everyone involved. Mavericks -Guard Kyrie Irving described it as “troublesome” in front of his former teammate and “Hermano.”
“We got a chance to feel that we were in practice again and went to each other. It was a good reflection point, ”said Irving, who led all scores with 35 points. “And then just see the audience cheer for him and just get him started and see him make some of the tough pictures I have seen him do thousands of times. It probably made it even more difficult. But it was fun. It was fun to compete. “
Added Lakers star LeBron James, who finished with a team high 27 points: “There are obviously a lot of emotions that go in when you give so much to a franchise and you sacrifice for a franchise and you have that kind of love and respect for a franchise. “
The matchup was missing a key piece when Anthony Davis (left Adductor impact) remains on the Mavericks page. Doncic and Davis were the center of blockbuster trade on February 2.
But the night was about Doncic, considering the trade and what he meant for Maverick’s fanbase. This is a player who just led the team to the NBA finals and seemingly locked up through their main years.
Everything changed in a fantastic way earlier this month, which is still puzzling to Maverick’s faithful. The focus is now being shifted to the next meeting when Doncic returns to Dallas on April 9. It will give even more emotions when he plays in front of a fan base that loved him.
“The closure will take a while,” Doncic said. “It’s not ideal. But as I said, I’m glad this game is over. Many emotions. But we go a little too little, and every day is better. “
