Luka Doncic got his revenge. At least for now.
The five-time All-NBA selection posted a 19-point, 15-rebound, 12-assist triple-double, and LeBron James scored 16 of his team-high 27 points in the fourth quarter as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Dallas Mavericks 107-99 Tuesday.
It was Doncic’s first game against his former team since the blockbuster trade that shook the NBA.
‘I don’t know how to explain it. I think the first quarter, second quarter, I didn’t know what was happening. It was just different,’ Doncic said of facing the Mavericks.
Is he happy the long-hyped matchup is over?
‘I can’t wait to go to sleep, honestly,’ Doncic said.
While the Mavericks were without injured Anthony Davis, who Dallas acquired along with Max Christie in the Doncic trade, the Lakers showed why they have potential for a deep run in the Western Conference with James and Doncic spearheading a potent offensive attack.
The score was 91-91 with 6:17 left in the fourth quarter; the Lakers closed the game on a 16-8 run.
Doncic added three steals and two blocks, James collected 12 rebounds and Austin Reaves added 20 points for the Lakers. Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 34 points, and Klay Thompson had 22 for Dallas.
Lakers vs. Mavericks highlights
Final: Lakers 107, Mavericks 99
Luka Doncic records triple-double
Luka Doncic recorded his first triple-double in a Lakers uniform. On a pass to LeBron James for a 3-pointer with 6:31 left in the fourth quarter, Doncic recorded his 10th assist, giving him 17 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists – plus three steals and two blocks. It is Doncic’s fourth triple-double of the season in just his 27th game of 2024-25. It’s his first triple-double since Dec. 15 and the 81st of his career.
How many points did Luka Doncic score?
Here’s Luka Doncic’s final stats vs. the Mavericks:
Points: 19
FG: 6-for-17
3PT: 1-for-7
FT: 6-for-8
Rebounds: 15
Assists: 12
Steals: 3
Blocks: 2
Turnovers: 2
Fouls: 2
Minutes played: 35
End of third quarter: Lakers 78, Mavericks 77
Luka Doncic is one assist from a triple-double headed into the fourth quarter with the Lakers clinging to a 78-77 lead against Dallas. Doncic has 17 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists, three steals and two blocks against the team that traded him almost a month ago. Donic is 5-for-14 from the field and just 1-for-7 on 3-pointers. Will Doncic end up with a 20-point, 20-rebound triple-double – and the victory? Austin Reaves leads the Lakers with 20 points, and LeBron James has 11 points, seven rebounds and six turnovers. Kyrie Irving’s 27 points has helped keep Dallas, which is shooting 40% on 3-pointers, in the game.
Mark Cuban attends Mavericks-Lakers game
Mark Cuban, former majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks, attended the game in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Cuban, who sold his majority share in the NBA team in December 2023, was not involved in the trade that sent Luka Doncic to L.A. However, he did play a part in drafting Doncic in 2018 when he was serving as the team governor. The Slovenian was named Rookie of the Year in 2019. Cuban said after the Feb. 2 trade he found it “confusing,” and got a call “just before it was announced.”
Halftime: Lakers 59, Mavericks 51
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic is headed for a triple-double in his first game against his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, who traded him to the Lakers four days before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Doncic had 12 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks through two quarters as the Lakers took a 59-51 lead into halftime against the Mavericks. Doncic had three points, five rebounds and three assists in the second quarter. Two of those assists were on 3-pointers, and the third assist was after a rebound in which he went coast to coast and found Jarred Vanderbilt on a no-look pass for a layup. Austin Reaves had 14 points, and LeBron James had nine points and six rebounds for the Lakers. Kyrie Irving leads the Mavs with 18 points, and Max Christie, who along with Anthony Davis was traded to Dallas in the Doncic deal, scored 10 points.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the house for Lakers-Mavericks
Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is attending tonight’s game against the Dallas Mavericks. Abdul-Jabbar’s former teammate James Worthy walked over to embrace him. Abdul-Jabbar also was featured on the big screen at Crypto.com Arena and was applauded by the crowd. Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA’s second all-time leading scorer. LeBron James overtook Abdul-Jabbar in 2023.
End Q1: Lakers 28, Mavericks 20
Luka Doncic’s first matchup against his former team has not disappointed so far. The Lakers jumped out to an eight-point lead over the Mavericks in the first quarter, led by nine points, seven rebounds and four assists from Doncic. There were fireworks (Doncic was called for a tech for clapping at a ref over a non-call) and emotions were running high (Doncic stared down the Mavericks’ bench after a 3). LeBron James added seven points, while Rui Hachimura had five.
The Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving has a game-high 14 points and two rebounds. Klay Thompson added two points.
Watch: Luka Doncic stares down Mavericks bench after 3
Doncic is making a statement early. After picking up a technical in the opening minutes of the game arguing a non-call, Doncic rattled off five consecutive points, capped by a 29-foot 3 to give the Lakers a 16-14 lead over the Mavericks. Doncic immediately turned toward his former teammates and stared down the Mavericks’ bench after the shot. (Doncic knocked down another 3 during the stretch, but replay review showed that his foot narrowly stepped out of bounds. The points were taken off the scoreboard.)
Luka Doncic called for a technical foul
Less than three minutes into the game, we already have a technical foul. Luka Doncic was called for a tech after clapping in referee Pat Fraher’s face. Doncic thought he was fouled under the basket by former teammate P.J. Washington, who grabbed Doncic’s arm as Doncic went up for a layup. No foul was called on Washington, Doncic missed the shot and Washington picked up the rebound.
When is Luka Doncic’s birthday?
Doncic will celebrate his 26th birthday Saturday. He was born Feb. 28, 1999.
What time is the Lakers game tonight?
Luka Doncic suits up for the Los Angeles Lakers in his first clash with the Dallas Mavericks since the trade that sent him west. The game starts at 10 p.m. ET with coverage on TNT.
All times Eastern.
Game starts: 10 p.m. ET
Lakers vs. Mavericks TV channel: How to watch
TV channel: TNT and TruTV
Lakers vs. Mavericks stream: How to stream Luka Doncic game
The game will be carried on Max. You can also watch on Sling.
Watch NBA games on TNT with Sling
Jason Kidd on Luka Doncic: ‘The Lakers are fortunate to have him’
No one knows Luka Doncic better than Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, who coached Doncic for over three seasons in Dallas. This time around, however, Doncic is on the opposing team’s roster. Kidd said the Mavericks are going to attempt to contain Doncic by making it “tough” on him.
“He’s one of the best players in the world. He causes a problem when he’s on the floor,” Kidd said ahead of Tuesday’s game. “The Lakers are fortunate to have him.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick’s message to Luka Dončić ahead of Mavericks game: ‘Balance’
Lakers coach JJ Redick’s comments regarding his desire for Luka Dončić to have a “blackout moment” before a 123-100 victory against the Denver Nuggets were considered notable after Dončić produced 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
In preparation for a game against his former team, Dončić received a message about balance.
“I think with him, he is at his best when he has that balance of joy and playfulness and that killer mentality,” Redick said during his pregame availability. “Just perfectly living in the moment of competition and he will find that tonight.”
This will be the first time Dončić has played against the Mavericks. He started his first seven seasons in the NBA with the Mavericks.
Is LeBron James playing tonight?
Yes. Los Angeles Lakers star forward LeBron James has been upgraded to available against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday. James was initially listed on the injury report for left foot injury management, an issue that sidelined him for the Lakers’ Feb. 8 win over the Indiana Pacers and the 2025 All-Star Game on Feb. 16.
Is Anthony Davis playing tonight?
No. Davis will not be active when the Mavericks face his former team for the first time since trading him on Tuesday night in Los Angeles. Davis is listed as out on the Dallas injury report.
Davis suffered a left adductor strain in his Mavericks debut on Feb. 8. He’s been sidelined ever since, but that didn’t stop Davis from getting some shots up inside of Crypto.com Arena, where Davis had called home for over five seasons.
Watch: Jordan releases new Luka Doncic commercial
Luka Doncic’s highly-anticipated matchup against his former team on Tuesday has spawned a new Jordan Brand advertisement. The sports apparel company released an ad that features Doncic swapping out a Texas license plate on his purple-and-yellow sports car for a California license plate, symbolizing his new home with the Los Angeles Lakers. The ad is set to the tune of George Strait’s “All My Ex’s Live in Texas,” a nod to Doncic’s contentious departure from the Dallas Mavericks.
The ad closes with the message, ‘Full tank. No mercy.”
Doncic signed an endorsement deal with Air Jordan in December 2019.
Kyrie Irving visits Kobe and Gigi Bryant statue
Ahead of the Mavericks’ matchup against the Lakers on Tuesday, Kyrie Irving paid tribute to the late Kobe and Gigi Bryant by visiting their statue outside the Crypto.com Arena. The statue depicts Bryant kissing the top of Gianna’s head as they sat courtside at a Lakers game in December 2019, less than a month before their tragic deaths.
“(Bryant) was a genuine friend, a genuine big brother, and losing someone like that was one of the hardest things to deal with, to grieve over it,” Irving said of Bryant in November.
Why was Luka Doncic traded to the Lakers?
‘A lot happened quickly when news broke that Dončić would be joining the Lakers, with both players surfacing in their new cities within days. Then came the reports and speculation about why this deal happened, and why the Mavericks ultimately elected to move on from Dončić, a 25-year-old superstar seemingly about to enter the prime of his career. leading up to this moment. There was delight from Lakers fans, disgust from lots of Mavericks fans, and an infusion of interest and curiosity from diehard and casual NBA fans alike.’ — Mark Giannotto
Who won the Lakers-Mavericks Luka Doncic trade?
‘Luka Doncic has played four games for the Los Angeles Lakers, and Anthony Davis has played one game for the Dallas Mavericks since the blockbuster trade between the two teams involving those two All-Stars […]
‘It’s still early, and sweeping conclusions are unjustified, but so far, the Lakers have won the trade – on the court and in the court of public opinion.’ Read the complete analysis here. — Jeff Zillgitt
Luka Doncic stats: Points and more since joining Lakers
Games: 4
Points/Game: 19
Rebounds/Game: 7.5
Assists/Game: 5.8
FG%: 38.8
3PT%: 27.3
Minutes/Game: 27.8
Predictions for Mavericks vs. Lakers:
Sporting News: Lakers 115, Mavs 110
Sloan Piva writes, ‘LA should dictate the pace at home – it has scored 25.6 fast-break points per game over the past three games (best in the NBA in that stretch) – and we like unsung heroes like Jaxson Hayes and Jarred Vanderbilt to play big parts down low against the Mavs’ injury-plagued front court.
‘Don’t fall into the trap of laying the points with LA, though. Pride is at stake for Jason Kidd’s team, and the Mavs sit top-eight in a loaded West for a reason. They’re 7-1 against the spread over their past eight games, and likely pissed off after taking their worst loss in that stretch their last time out. They might not come out of Los Angeles with a win, but they also probably won’t get wiped out completely by the Don and his new family.’
DeMarcus Cousins: Luka will feast
During an appearance on television, Cousins said, ‘I know how I felt when I made my return to the team that traded me. I was a shark in bloody water. I expect nothing less from Luka. I think it’s gonna be a lot of emotion. I think it’ll be a lot of antics. And I think he’s coming out firing right away. I think he’s gonna try to make a statement.’
FanDuel: Lakers to win
FanDuel gives the Lakers a 57.9% chance of winning Tuesday’s game. Furthermore, FanDuel also points out that the Lakers have a stellar 16-10 record against the spread when playing at home.
Odds, lines for Mavericks vs. Lakers:
*All odds via BetMGM
The Los Angeles Lakers are favorites to defeat Dallas in Tuesday’s NBA matchup, according to the BetMGM basketball odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering sports betting promos in 2024.
Odds as of Monday evening.
Spread: Lakers (-9.5)
Moneylines: Lakers (-425); Mavericks (+320)
Over/under: 230.5
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