Nearly a year after being dealt from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers, Luka Doncic stepped back onto the court at American Airlines Center on Saturday and left with a win. The homecoming came in a Lakers victory that highlighted the star guard’s first visit to his former arena since the blockbuster trade.
Doncic, who spent the first five seasons of his NBA career in Dallas, sounded markedly more contemplative about the move than he had in the immediate aftermath of the deal. While he did not offer detailed comments on the floor, he acknowledged post-game that returning to the city where his professional career began stirred “a lot of memories.”
Los Angeles head coach Darvin Ham praised Doncic’s composure, noting that the 26-year-old played “within the flow” of the offense and kept the team focused despite the emotional backdrop. Teammates pointed to Doncic’s ability to balance competitiveness with appreciation for his time in Dallas as a key factor in the night’s steady performance.
The result extended the Lakers’ current winning stretch, while the Mavericks were handed their second straight loss. Both clubs remain in the thick of the Western Conference playoff chase as the regular season approaches its final third.
Source: New York Post
