The NBA world was recently watching Luka Dončić and the Los Angeles Lakers closely. In a highly anticipated matchup on February 25th, 2025, the Los Angeles Lakers secured a 107-99 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena. This game marked the first meeting between the two teams since a significant trade that saw Luka Dončić join the Lakers and Anthony Davis head to the Mavericks. LeBron James showcased his leadership and longevity by scoring 18 of his 27 points in the decisive fourth quarter. James finished the night with a stat-line that read 27 points, 12 rebounds, and a field goal percentage of 64.7 percent.
However, the Dallas Mavericks did not go down without a fight, mainly thanks to Kyrie Irving. Irving led all scorers with 35 points for the Mavericks, keeping the game close for most of the night. However, the man of the night was none other than Luka Dončić who recorded an impressive triple-double in the victory. The game was charged with emotion, especially for Dončić, who faced his former team for the first time since the trade. The Los Angeles crowd expressed their sentiments by chanting “Thank you, Nico,” at Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, who orchestrated the controversial trade. All in all, Dončić got the last laugh having arguably his best game as a Laker against his former squad.
Luka Dončić Shines in First Game Against His Former Squad, Dallas Mavericks, Leading Them to a 107-99 Victory
His Outing Against the Mavericks
Luka Dončić shined with a stat-line of 19 points, 15 total rebounds, and 11 assists. If there was one knock on his performance, it was his shooting efficiency. Dončić tallied a field goal percentage of 35.3 percent and a three-point field goal percentage of 14.3 percent. Clearly, he is still trying to get his legs under him from a shooting perspective. Bear in mind that Dončić missed the last couple of months after suffering an injury on Christmas Day against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Still, Luka Dončić is a top-five talent in today’s league for a reason and knows how to positively affect the game in other ways. Pair him with a player like LeBron James and the sky is the limit for his production. The star duo has started developing terrific chemistry with each other in the past two games and the Los Angeles Lakers are finally surging. Considering all of this, Luka Dončić should find plenty of success with the purple and gold going forward.
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