Luka Doncic sat on the bench and cried throughout the tribute video the Dallas Mavericks dedicated to him.
Displayed as he was introduced in the starting lineup as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, the video showed a plethora of memorable moments Doncic created with the franchise.
There has been so much hype surrounding Doncic’s first return to Dallas and the emotions clearly got to him. He asked for a towel as soon as the tribute began and made full use of it.
The game started with him looking completely out of sorts, but he found the range soon enough and hit some of his patented step back fadeaways and dished beautiful no-look passes. He scored 31 points in the first half.
Dallas fans cheered his every touch and got even louder when he scored, making for an incredibly unique atmosphere. As expected, there have been plenty of “Fire Nico!” chants, referring to Dallas general manager Nico Harrison.
Mavericks players certainly came out with a point to prove themselves and the energy from both sides made for a very competitive first quarter.
Luka got emotional watching his tribute video from the Mavs 🥹 pic.twitter.com/ySim9PqNUg
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 9, 2025
What Did Doncic Mean To Mavs?
Doncic was selected third overall in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks and traded immediately to Dallas in exchange for fifth overall pick Trae Young and a protected 2019 first-round pick.
Since then, he went on to win 2018-19 Rookie of the Year, was a five-time All-Star, earned five-time All-NBA honors and won the 2023-24 scoring title. From a team perspective, he most notably led the Mavs to the NBA Finals just a season ago.
Mavs fans fell in love with Doncic and viewed him as the perfect successor to Dirk Nowitzki’s reign.
The trade that sent him to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis and Max Christie came as a complete shock and the fanbase now fears the franchise may never recover.
Davis got injured in his first game for Dallas. Not long after, Kyrie Irving tore his ACL, was ruled out for the season and will miss a significant chunk of 2025-26 as well. The championship window has significantly decreased, if it exists at all.
What’s At Stake For Lakers And Mavs?
For Los Angeles, home-court advantage in the first round is still available. Currently third in the West with a 48-31 record, there are four teams within a game of the Lakers, while the Minnesota Timberwolves are two games behind.
Dallas could still potentially host the 9-10 game in the Play-In Tournament. Currently 10th at 38-41, the 39-40 Sacramento Kings are only a game ahead of the Mavericks.
