Mavericks prepare for Luka Doncic’s calmer Dallas homecoming
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Luka Doncic is back at American Airlines Center tonight, but the five-time All-Star expects a far different environment than the emotional scene that greeted him last season. Speaking to reporters, the Lakers guard said Dallas “will always feel like home,” yet the tears and 45-point outburst that marked his first return in April 2025 are unlikely to be repeated.
Doncic’s surprise trade to Los Angeles 11 months ago ignited fan anger, preceded a Mavericks slide to a play-in elimination, and ultimately cost general manager Nico Harrison his job in November. Dallas enters play at 19-26, and head coach Jason Kidd dismissed any notion that the organization regrets the deal. “Luka’s moved on, and we’ve moved on. That’s just the business of basketball,” Kidd said before the game.
Waiting on a star trio
Kidd was also asked about the franchise’s long-anticipated lineup featuring rookie forward Cooper Flagg alongside Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving. Injuries continue to delay that vision: Davis has logged limited minutes, while Irving is still rehabbing the ACL tear suffered last March. “We would love to see that in ’26,” Kidd noted, adding that the team will not focus on the combination until both veterans are closer to returning.
Flagg will be capped at 30 minutes tonight after playing slightly above a 20-to-25-minute restriction in his first two games back from an ankle sprain, according to the club.
Travel concerns
Severe weather in North Texas may complicate Dallas’s trip to Milwaukee for Sunday night’s matchup. The Mavericks plan to bus to a nearby hotel after tonight’s contest and fly out Saturday morning if conditions permit.
Source: Hoops Rumors
