Luka Doncic Stats Tonight: How did Lakers superstar perform in his return to Dallas? (April 9)

Luka Doncic was back in Dallas for the first time since his shocking trade to the LA Lakers in early February. Doncic has been balling for the Lakers after struggling a bit after the trade. The Mavericks, on the other hand, are going to be in the play-in tournament.

Doncic is averaging 27.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game with the Lakers. He has stayed healthy after dealing with a calf injury before the trade. He was also emotional after the Mavericks played a video tribute for him before the game.

But how did "Luka Magic" perform against the Mavericks in his return to Dallas? He had 45 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals in the Lakers' 112-97 win. He went 16-for-28 from the field, including 7-for-10 from beyond the arc. He scored 31 of his 45 points in the first half.

Here are Luka Doncic's stats for the game:

Players

PTS

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

MIN

FG

3PT

FT

+/-

Luka Doncic

45

8

6

4

0

3

4

38:03

16-28

7-10

6-9

+26

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How did Luka Doncic perform in his return to Dallas?

The LA Lakers seemingly knew they had to get out of the way and let Luka Doncic do his thing in his first game back in Dallas. Doncic was in rhythm when he dropped 31 points in the first half, with fans hoping to see him break a scoring record or something.

However, the Mavericks were making things tough for the Lakers, and the game was too close. Because winning is more important, Doncic relegated some scoring duties to LeBron James in the third quarter. James was phenomenal for the Lakers in the second half.

Despite struggles in the third quarter, it was Doncic who finished things off in the final period. It was a bittersweet moment for one of the greatest players in Mavericks history. He has no control over what happened, but he put on a show for the fans who supported him since 2018.

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Luka Doncic gets emotional after Mavs’ tribute video

Before he was introduced as part of the LA Lakers starting lineup, Luka Doncic sat on the bench as the Dallas Mavericks presented a video tribute. It featured his best moments in a Mavs jersey in six and a half seasons.

Fans inside American Airlines Center cheered loudly as Doncic began crying due to the emotions of his return to Dallas. He has been open about struggling with the trade and how it has affected him in his early days as a member of the LA Lakers.

“Luka Magic” was real in Dallas, and the love that the fans gave him was something special. The fanbase is still hurting from the unprecedented deal that shocked the NBA.

It has serious implications for the Mavs, especially after Kyrie Irving suffered a devastating knee injury carrying the team after the trade with Anthony Davis out.