A culmination of complex emotions and respite dawned over Luka Doncic. Just weeks after his trade, there he was facing the Dallas Mavericks in Los Angeles. There were moments in the game. After a statement-making triple, he bellowed and stared down the bench. In that moment, Doncic admitted he wanted to punish the Mavericks wanting to go off for a big score. But he also couldn’t sideline what the franchise truly meant to him.

In that responding moment, the Slovenian guard didn’t have a conscience. “Honestly, I can’t remember. It was a lot of emotions on my sleeve but I can’t even explain. It was a different game,” he told reporters. And while he did systematically dissect the Mavs with his first Laker triple-double, Luka Doncic felt the weight of those emotions.

“I’m just glad it’s over honestly,” Doncic claimed.

For most part of the night, the 25-year-old couldn’t get a grip on his emotions. “Yeah, I don’t know how to explain it. I think in the first quarter, second quarter, I don’t know what was happening. It was just different. I can’t even explain how it felt,” Luka Doncic told Inside the NBA. 

See, although he felt great about claiming a win, it had to be a difficult situation. Doncic was facing his former teammates and more importantly, the franchise he felt he would have an eternal bond with. However, dealing with the trade and then matching up against them blinded the Slovenian superstar.

After the game, as happy as he was to have played a major part in securing the win, Doncic couldn’t wait for the night to be over. “I can’t wait to go sleep, honestly,” said the five-time All-NBA First Team member.

Revenge and reunion came at once for Luka Doncic

Tonight had every aspect of a revenge game for Luka Doncic. The Dallas Mavericks and Lakers dealt in silence, not informing anyone involved of a possible trade. During his Lakers press conference, Doncic admitted to being stumped by the news. He even had to check if it was April Fools Day.

Sure, Luka Doncic’s scoring numbers weren’t off the charts, but make no mistake—he was in his bag tonight. He controlled the pace, dictated the flow, and set up his teammates for prime looks. Of the 107 points the Lakers dropped, 51 had Luka’s fingerprints all over them.

And when the final buzzer sounded? He walked off with a smile. Maybe it was a relief that this emotional showdown was finally over. Or maybe, just maybe—it was the satisfaction of proving a point.

Yet his revenge was against those who made the decision. There was no hostility towards his teammates. And so after the game, he shared a light-hearted moment with all of them. The Mavericks in remembrance of his seven years with the franchise posted a clip of it on their social media.

A picture of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic sharing an embrace. The tandem has developed a close relationship. Their families had connected well and KAI would refer to his former teammate as “hermano”. That’s the word the Mavericks used to celebrate their reunion. However, they are also well aware of how the picture would touch a section of the Mavericks fans.

They knew what was coming. That’s why they limited the comments on the post—trying to contain the inevitable backlash. But let’s be real… it didn’t stop the “Fire Nico” storm.

Since the trade, Mavs fans worldwide have been livid over Luka Doncic’s departure. The organization has been under fire, taking heat from every direction—protests, deafening boos in the arena, and relentless criticism. At this point, it’s clear—Dallas fans aren’t letting this one go anytime soon.

It’s a trade they probably won’t forgive the Mavericks for in this lifetime. After all, Luka Doncic, like Dirk Nowitzki, fully committed himself to being a Mav for life. And with that vision crumpled, it’s not just him who feels an array of unexplainable emotions. The fans are part of it. All the Mavericks can do at this moment is control it to the best degree possible.