45 points, tears and angry Mavericks-Fans: On the return of Luka Doncic to Dallas there was a clear victory of his La Lakers And as expected a lot of drama.
It was a special evening in Dalls, this was also noticeable from the fact that Dirk Nowitzki was again in the arena. It was the first home game of his Mavericks that Nowitzki pursued on site, since the “Mavs“Her star Luka Doncic, once chosen in Dallas as the successor to Nowitzki, had shipped the opponent in Dallas on Wednesday evening (09.04.2025/local time) in Dallas.
Those responsible for the Mavericks did not even try to sell duel against the Lakers and Doncic’s return to Dallas as one of 82 games of the season. They had printed extra T-shirts before the game and distributed them to the fans, “Thank you for everything” was written on it, in Slovenian.
Doncic jerseys in Dallas, protests against Club management
Most fans, however, wore “Doncic” jerseys in all variations, also the current Lakers-Jersey. Protest logos against Nico Harrison, against General Manager of the “Mavs”, who had driven the controversial transfer from Doncic, were also seen. Already at the first interruption of the game, “Fire Nico” speakers boomed through the arena.
Maybe the frustration of the fans was still fueled by the fact that a Farewell video was recorded before the game, with the most beautiful moments of Doncic in the “Mavs” jersey. Doncic, the “Mavs” in the previous season in the NBA finals Leaded and never hurried that he would have liked to stay in Dallas, was visibly touched, he even came tears.
Doncic return After Dallas: “First tears flowed, then he let the threesome rain”
When the game started, it came, how it had to come – and as many had expected when Doncic went back to the floor in Dallas for the first time: the Slovenian delivered strong performance and immediately took on the role of the leader: in the first half alone he came to 31 points, in the first two quarters he sank three three -point throws. “First the tears flowed, then he let the threesome rain”Commented “ESPN“.
His teammates, including a certain Lebron James (27 points, 7 rebounds), with which Doncic harmonizes better and better, contributed to the fact that the Slovenian could shine on his return to Dallas – and was carried by his old fans in Dallas who celebrated his actions. In the end, Doncic had 45 points in the boxcore, and was the top scorer in the 112: 97 victory of the Lakers.
“I don’t know how I did it,” said a agitated Doncic after the victory at “ESPN”. “When I saw the video, I thought: No chance that I would play this game.” He was simply overwhelmed by his feelings “It moved me to tears. I came as a young child, just 18, and they made me feel at home.”
With the victory, the Lakers also made the direct move into the playoffs perfect. You are currently third in the Western Conferenceeven mathematically, you can no longer fall out of the top six.
NBA
In the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference The six best teams each reach the playoffs. The four teams behind each conference in the play-ins each play out two other participants. These 16 teams play the NBA title in the playoffs in a tournament tree divided into west and east.
With Luka Doncic and LeBron James as well as the one for weeks in All -star-Form Austin Reaves could be a dangerous challenger in the west, if it weren’t the doubt about the fitness of the 40 -year -old James and also to Doncic, who had never been fully trained in Dallas.
Mavericks fight for good playoff spot
With the Mavericks, on the other hand, hardly anyone believes that they can put a similar playoff run as in the previous year: the “Mavs” are in tenth in the West and have sure to take part in the play-ins-but nothing more. Sixth place, which would mean the direct qualification for the playoffs, seems almost out of reach for the “Mavs”, which have nine victories than the sixth from Memphis. However, the Mavericks fans know who they can keep their fingers crossed in the playoffs.