It’s only been a bit over three weeks since the trade that shocked the basketball world, back when the Mavericks suddenly sent Luka Doncic to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a future draft pick. Now, the Slovenian gets ready to face his former club on Tuesday night.
When asked about how the 25-year-old star was feeling towards playing his former team, his new coaches and teammates all agreed that he seems ready, and even eager, to confront this exciting showdown with the club that abruptly sent him out go the city where he was first drafted and earned five All-NBA selections.
“I think he’ll be fine,” Lakers coach JJ Redick expressed. “Every day that he’s been with us, it’s becoming just a little bit more normal. I’ve been there. The first time you play your old team, particularly this close in time duration, it’s going to be weird. But he’ll be able to handle it.”
Luka Doncic is in high spirits for his first game vs The Mavericks pic.twitter.com/YSC942bCo2
— Jordan Richard (@JordanRichardSC) February 24, 2025
Luka declined to speak to the press after Monday’s practice in California, as he finished training after making a half-court shot following a three-point shooting drill alongside Dorian Finney-Smith, who happens to also be his former teammate with the Mavericks.
“I think he’s going to be excited, but everybody in the locker room is excited,” Dorian assured. “We’ve got his back. It’s going to be a hard-fought game. I know (Mavs coach Jason) Kidd is going to have them ready to come in here and compete, so we’ve just got to match their intensity.”
In his last game with the purple and gold, Doncic dropped 32 points with four of them from beyond the arc, plus 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals during their blowout 123-100 win over the Nuggets, a team which has dominate the Lakers in recent years.
“When he made the first 3, I was like, ‘OK, he’s on it tonight,’” said forward Rui Hachimura with a smile. “I don’t know how much he’s 100% healthy, but he’s started to get back to his rhythm, so I’m happy for him.”
