Not long after leaving Dallas, Luka Dončić etched his name in NBA history against his former team. But it wasn’t just his performance—his post-game words stung Mavericks fans even more than the defeat.

The Los Angeles Lakers are hosting the Dallas Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night in perhaps the NBA’s most highly-anticipated regular season game this year. This is the first meeting between these two teams since their blockbuster trade that swapped Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis, among other pieces.

While Davis is sidelined due to a left adductor strain suffered in his Mavericks debut, Doncic is appearing in his fifth Lakers game. Seemingly getting more comfortable with each contest in Los Angeles, Doncic turned in an all-around first half against his former team.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77)

With 12 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks before halftime Doncic did some of everything for Los Angeles.

This first half line for Doncic also made NBA history. Per Basketball Reference’s StatHead, Doncic is the first player since the league began tracking quarter-specific data to tally 12 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks in a single half.

“Luka Doncic: 12 pts, 12 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk in first half,” Max Gorenstein, a researcher for CBS Sports posted on X. “First player to record those stats in any half in play-by-play era.”

Doncic’s all-around first half led the Lakers to a 59-51 lead over Dallas at the break. Entering this game, Doncic was averaging 19.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists in four games with the Lakers. The Slovenian guard came into Tuesday averaging 26.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 26 games overall this season.

Luka Dončić’s relationship with Dallas has taken a dramatic turn since his departure. Once the face of the franchise and a beloved figure among Mavericks fans, his exit left a bitter taste for many. Despite years of carrying the team and delivering countless unforgettable moments, his departure was surrounded by tension and speculation. Now, facing his former team as a rival, the emotions on both sides are undeniable. While some fans still admire his greatness, others see him as a traitor who turned his back on the city that once adored him. His latest performance against Dallas only fueled the fire, proving that while he may have left the team, he hasn’t left the spotlight.

 

 

 

 

 

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