Luka Doncic wasted no time making a statement against his former team.
With a triple-double and some fiery trash talk, he helped lead the Lakers past the Mavericks.
Just four weeks ago, the Mavericks shocked the NBA world by trading Dončić to the Lakers in a stunning midseason move.
And now, Luka got his payback.
Luka Strikes Back Against Dallas
In their first meeting since the trade, the Mavericks and Lakers clashed at Crypto.com Arena, setting the stage for what promises to be a heated new rivalry.
From the opening tip, Luka was determined to make his presence felt. He attacked aggressively, nearly notching a triple-double by halftime.
One of the game’s defining moments came in the first quarter when Luka drilled a deep three-pointer. Without hesitation, he turned toward the Mavericks bench and his former coach, Jason Kidd, shouting, “That’s what I f**king do.”
Mark Cuban Watches as Luka Gets His Revenge
It’s not clear who Luka was speaking to—Jason Kidd or Nico Harrison, the mastermind of the late-night trade—but his frustration was evident.
Moments after Luka’s three-pointer and fiery trash talk, cameras caught former Mavericks owner Mark Cuban on screen with a sly grin.
Cuban had once envisioned Luka to represent the Dallas Mavericks as their star player. However, since he no longer holds a majority stake, he had no control over the trade.
Luka and the Lakers secured a 107-99 victory, with Doncic recording his first triple-double as a Laker—19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists.
