mavericks vs lakers: After leading the Lakers to a 107-99 victory over his former team, Luka Doncic didn’t sound like a man celebrating a big win. Instead, his voice carried a sense of relief.
“It was just a lot of emotions and not much sleep,” Doncic admitted after the game, which came just 3½ weeks after his unexpected trade from the Dallas Mavericks. “I can’t even explain [it]. It was a different game… Sometimes I don’t know what I was doing.
“And honestly, I’m just glad it’s over.”
Doncic’s stat line—19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists—made history, making him just the third player in NBA history to record a triple-double against every team, joining LeBron James and Russell Westbrook. But this wasn’t a night of individual dominance. His shooting was off (6-for-17 from the field, just 1-for-7 from three), and it was James who took over in the fourth quarter, scoring 16 of his 27 points to secure the win.
For Doncic, though, this game wasn’t about numbers. It was about navigating an emotional storm. Seeing his former teammates, exchanging glances with Mavericks’ front office figures like GM Nico Harrison and coach Jason Kidd—it all made for a heavy night.
“It definitely will help me,” Doncic said of getting past this game. “It’s definitely going to help in the long run.”
Emotions, Relationships, and the Reality of Change
During warmups, Harrison stood courtside, though Doncic claimed he didn’t notice him. What he did notice, however, was the Mavericks’ bench. After big plays, he couldn’t help but let his emotions show—glancing over, maybe sending a little message.
LeBron James, who has experienced high-profile moves himself, understood Doncic’s emotions completely.
“When you give so much to a franchise, when you sacrifice for a franchise, and you have that type of love and respect for it—it’s emotional,” James said. “He went to the Finals with them. He grew from an 18-, 19-year-old kid to a 25-year-old man with a family.
“So, yeah, when you move on—or when they move on from you—it’s a lot. And that’s probably why tonight, he had things on his mind that had nothing to do with basketball. But, with that said, I thought he handled it tremendously.”
Kyrie Irving, who led all scorers with 35 points, echoed those feelings.
“That was awkward as s—,” Irving admitted, referring to playing against Doncic, the very player he went to the Finals with just last season. “But at the same time, it was fun. It felt like we were in practice all over again, going at each other. Seeing the crowd cheer for him, seeing him get fired up… it was fun competing.”
For Doncic, the connection with Irving runs deeper than the game.
“He’s my hermano,” Doncic said. “That goes way beyond basketball.”
Looking Ahead: Returning to Dallas and Adjusting to a New Normal
April 9 will bring a new challenge—Doncic’s first game back in Dallas. That’s when the real wave of emotions will hit. Seeing the fans who cheered for him for years, walking into the visiting locker room at the American Airlines Center, facing the reality of being on the opposite side—it’s going to be different.
The Mavericks are hopeful that Anthony Davis, the centerpiece of the trade that sent Doncic to LA, will be back from injury by then. Meanwhile, Tuesday’s game in Los Angeles had its own share of emotional reunions.
The Lakers paid tribute to Davis with a video in the first quarter, and he received a standing ovation. But then came the reality check—his new team wanted to send him home with a loss. The same applied to Max Christie, another former Laker, who put up 10 points and six assists for Dallas, playing with the same effort and hustle that used to energize the Lakers.
Lakers coach JJ Redick summed it up perfectly.
“You kind of just have to embrace it,” he said. “It’s weird. It just naturally is. And that’s okay. It’s actually healthy to acknowledge it, embrace it, and then just play the game. And then you never have to do that again.”
Well, not quite. Doncic and the Lakers will have to face the Mavericks again, but by then, it will hopefully feel a little more normal.
“The closure is going to take a while, I think,” Doncic admitted. “It’s not ideal. But like I said, I’m glad this game is over. There were a lot of emotions. But we go little by little, and every day is better.”
Finding Lessons in Change: A Human Perspective
Doncic’s journey is a reminder that, beyond the stats and contracts, athletes are human. The emotions that come with major career shifts—whether in sports or everyday life—can be overwhelming. When we invest years of hard work, build relationships, and create something meaningful, change isn’t just about logistics; it’s about identity and belonging.
The transition period, whether for a player like Doncic or anyone going through change, is where resilience and personal growth happen. It’s about adapting, finding new motivations, and, as Doncic put it, taking things “little by little.”
This also ties back to productivity. In sports, business, or personal life, tools—whether they’re analytics software, training programs, or even mindfulness practices—help make transitions smoother. Athletes use film study to adjust to new teams, just like professionals use project management software to handle workplace shifts. The key is recognizing that every adjustment period is an opportunity to build something stronger.
For Doncic, that means carving out his new chapter in LA. For the rest of us? It’s about embracing our own moments of change with patience and purpose.