Luka Doncic‘s game was enough to shake Magic Johnson’s faith. After earning the Western Conference crown last season, the Dallas Mavericks seem to have become more dangerous as the team looked in perfect sync during their battle against Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs to clinch a 120-109 win. Among the awe-struck viewers was Johnson. Despite being impressed by the Lakers’ new head coach JJ Redick’s start, the 5x NBA champion laid down a warning following the Mavericks’ performance.

Right after the game, Johnson took to X to express his thoughts. “Every team in the West should be worried about Dallas this season because the Mavs are built for the Playoffs,” Johnson wrote. Looking at their performance, it’s understandable why Magic believes the Mavs are the team to beat.

Building on his historic post-season performance, Luka Doncic scored 28 points, having a great game alongside Klay Thompson, who delivered 22 points. The former Golden State Warriors star hit six three-pointers, the most by any Mavericks player in their debut. 

A new and certainly exciting duo was seen in this matchup. This must have intrigued the Lakers legend as well. While Kyrie Irving didn’t have his best game, the Mavs looked great. The way the team is built, it’ll be difficult for any team in the West to win four games in the playoffs. After last season’s Finals appearance, Dallas has only gotten stronger, adding shooting and defense in the form of Thompson. However, Mavericks’ stunning display doesn’t mean Johnson has lost hope in his Lakers.  

Magic Johnson was impressed by JJ Redick’s start to Laker life

Speaking about the Lakers’ game, the 5x NBA champion praised coach Redick and said, “I was really impressed with the Lakers on Tuesday night in their home opener. Coach JJ Reddick had a good game plan against the Timberwolves and AD looked great on both ends of the court!”

Anthony Davis was truly the star of the show, and LeBron James commended his teammate for the performance. Davis dominated the game, delivering 36 points and 16 rebounds. JJ Redick’s new strategy for the players also deserves the credit. Speaking of Davis, Redick said, “AD was phenomenal tonight. He approached the game with patience and took the right shots at the right time.”

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards contributed 27 points, while Rudy Gobert added 13 points. After struggling against the Wolves for a while, the Lakers elevated their offensive game and secured a 13-point lead going into halftime. 

The team played strategically throughout the game, which impressed Magic Johnson. As the Los Angeles Lakers legend pointed out in his first tweet, it remains to be seen how the Lakers will tackle the challenges ahead.