Luka Doncic gives unfiltered insight after shedding tears before Lakers vs Mavericks

NBA: Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks - Source: Imagn — Luka Doncic gives unfiltered insight after shedding tears before Lakers vs Mavericks (Image Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images)

Following his emotional pregame video tribute, LA Lakers superstar guard Luka Doncic delivered an electric scoring showcase in his return to Dallas. Afterward, the five-time All-Star touched on how he regained his composure to lead his team to a critical 112-97 victory.

Wednesday's contest marked Doncic's first road matchup against the Mavericks since he was unexpectedly traded to LA at this year's trade deadline. He spent his first six and a half seasons with Dallas, establishing himself as one of the league's premier scorers. He also led the franchise to last year's NBA Finals, its first since 2011.

As expected, the Mavericks paid tribute to Doncic for his contributions, playing a pregame video featuring his top moments with the organization. The clip left the 2024 NBA scoring champion tearing up and seemingly trying to collect himself before tip-off.

Nevertheless, Doncic appeared focused during the contest. He finished with a game-high 45 points, eight rebounds, six assists, four steals and seven 3-pointers, shooting 16-for-28 (57.1%). 31 of his points came in the first half as he wasted no time reminding Dallas fans of his offensive repertoire.

During his postgame interview, Doncic noted that his teammates helped him overcome his emotions and thrive.

Doncic's 45-point effort tied his season-high and matched his top scoring output with the Lakers. This garnered him cheers from Mavericks fans and his teammates, likely creating an unforgettable evening for him.

Luka Doncic helps Lakers clinch top-6 Western Conference seed in return to Dallas

With Wednesday's victory, Luka Doncic and the Lakers clinched a top-six finish in the Western Conference and avoided the play-in. They sit third (49-31) with two outings remaining, needing one more victory to lock up the No. 3 seed.

LA returns home on Friday to host the West's second-seeded Houston Rockets (52-27), marking its last regular-season contest against a winning opponent.

About the author

Tristan Rawcliffe is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda. Basketball has been Tristan's lifelong passion since age 11, and hailing from Brantford, Ontario, Tristan's loyalty lies with the Toronto Raptors.

He is a big fan of Nikola Jokic for his fundamental playstyle and Scottie Barnes for his versatility and potential. Tristan credits Nick Nurse for leading the Raptors to their first championship in 2019 and he holds Kawhi Leonard's iconic buzzer-beater in the playoffs as his favorite NBA moment.

Tristan is an all-around stats enthusiast and excels with statistical research skills to enrich his articles with compelling data and facts.

When he's not writing about basketball, Tristan enjoys spending time with family, playing sports and board games, swimming with his six-year-old son and traveling around Davao.

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