A sentimental journey through Luka Doncic’s six-plus seasons with the Mavericks did exactly what it was intended to do on Wednesday night.
There was celebration, healing, maybe a little closure and most certainly a tribute that was befitting of the occasion.
The tribute video played before the superstar was announced as the last starter in the Los Angeles Lakers’ lineup and touched on so many moments that made Doncic such a fan favorite. It was well done and had Luka on the verge of tears as he sat alone on the Lakers’ bench while the video played.
“After that video, I was like, there’s no way I’m playing this game,” Doncic said. “It was so many emotions.”
So he did what he does best. “I just went out there and played basketball,” he said.
And played it quite well, as he is known to do.
While serenaded by applause and “MVP” chants every time he did anything, Doncic piled up 45 points and led the Lakers to a 112-97 victory in his first game at American Airlines Center since the stunning trade two months ago that shipped him to LA.
Luka did what is hard to do: he impressed even his coach and teammates with the way he handled the emotional evening.
“The moment with the tribute video and him sitting by himself and getting to actually live that and live in the moment and allowing himself to be vulnerable – some of his teammates got emotional, some of the coaches got emotional — it was a beautiful moment. I thought the video was great.” Lakers’ coach J.J. Redick said. “His ability to then go perform. Lights turn on. He’s teary-eyed still as we walk out for the tip-ball. To have the emotional resolve to go put on that kind of performance, it’s super-human.
“And I think all his teammates know that, too, because I think all his teammates can empathize with what he just went through the last couple months. And maybe some anticipation, maybe some dread, but certainly a ton of emotions about tonight. And then he went and did that. It’s big-time.”
It started some two hours before tipoff for Luka.
He stepped into the bowels of AAC and was greeted by a herd of photographers getting that all-important “walk-in” shot.
An hour later, Luka appeared on the court where he mesmerized fans so frequently as a Maverick. The arena had only sparse fans at that point, but they acknowledged right away what they were watching with loud applause and yells of respect and appreciation.
Another hour later, the superstar guard sat on the visitors’ bench and watched the two-and-a-half minute video of his Dallas days.
Thirty-one points later, the first half ended. Another hour went by and the Mavericks could only shake their head as Doncic, the one-time face of the franchise who was greeted deservedly with a hero’s welcome, incinerated the Mavericks, adding eight rebounds, six assists and four steals to his 45-point total.
And the Mavericks knew what it was like to be on the other side of Luka Magic. So what part of the video got to Luka the most?
“All of it, for sure,” he said. “But I’d probably say that shot in the conference finals (last year over Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert). We always were the underdog in every series and the way we came together and played together, it was just another level. Everybody was locked in. I would say that’s the moment.”
And when the game was over, he had nothing but love from his former teammates.
“Those are my brothers,” he said. “I know we’re not on the same team now, but we went through wars together. It was nice to see everybody.”
And then there was the question of closure. The trade for Anthony Davis was so unexpected that it’s not just fans who have had a difficult time getting over it.
The Mavericks have needed time to move on. And so has Luka.
“For sure, it’s a little more, but when you talk about closure, it’s sometimes hard,” he said. “I spent a lot of time here, great moments. I got to focus on different things now.”
Dorian Finney-Smith, still a fan favorite in Dallas and now Luka’s teammate in LA, said he was prepared to pass the ball to Doncic whenever he could. He just knew that there was a big game coming.
Especially when he saw the whole team getting emotional pregame during the video.
“Well deserved,” Finney-Smith said of the video. “I was in that locker room when we were struggling, I’d say tanking to get him. I’ve seen the transition back to being a winning culture and Luka being Luka – he brought the excitement back to Dallas.
“That’s who he is. I’ve seen it, seen him hit big shots, must-wins when he put on unbelievable performances, just like (tonight). Luka got us going at the beginning and LeBron (James) took over.”
And Luka got the hometown treatment, in reverse. Sometimes, villains come to town and get booed every time they touch the ball.
Luka was cheered every time he did anything. When he scored, which was often, he was cheered louder. It was like two home teams being on the AAC court.
“Trading someone like that, that’s what comes with it,” Finney-Smith said. “I know they expected it.”
And when it was done, the Lakers had the win, had clinched a playoff spot and could set their sights on the No. 3 seed, which they can take by winning one of their last two games.
“I’m tired,” Luka said as he prepared to leave AAC. “But I’m happy it’s over. Now I can get some sleep. But it was an amazing experience, the way the fans accepted me, cheered for me. It was just unbelievable. I had a great time.”
And it was a celebratory night all the way around, even for the Mavericks, to an extent.
As long as they didn’t look at the final score.
Injury update: The Mavericks got some good news when Dante Exum was in uniform for Wednesday’s game.
It was about a week ahead of the time frame that originally was scheduled for Exum in his recovery from a broken bone in his hand.
“Very limited,” Kidd said when asked about how much the veteran guard might play.
It was more limited than that. He didn’t play at all. But . . .
“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 Mavericks are expected to get more help this weekend if they can swap Brandon Williams and/or Kessler Edwards to full contracts so they would be able to play in the final two games of the regular season.
Redick remembers AD: While it was Luka’s homecoming and his night to be showered with love, Anthony Davis also was playing against his former team and got a lot of bouquets.
“I’ll be forever grateful to AD for our relationship as player/coach, for him allowing a first-year coach, a guy who’s never coach outside of nine and ten-year-olds to actually coach him,” Redick said. “I thought we had a terrific working relationship and a terrific rapport.
“I’ve expressed that to him, my gratitude for that. He was a joy to be around every single day. Regardless of if we had five bigs or if we have one big like we currently do in our rotation, he’s going to give you nightmares. He’s that good. He’s one of the best players ever and we certainly have to scheme for him.”
X: @ESefko
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