Luka Doncic will always feel a little awkward when he enters American Airlines Center to play against the Dallas Mavericks. Saturday night was the second time he did that after getting unceremoniously traded off by former Mavs boss Nico Harrison in the middle of last season. But the game saw another big moment for the Slovenian as well as the Lakers.
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Well, amid the falling snow and the freezing temperatures, and Doncic’s unease in Dallas, the Slovenian star was handed the key to the LA Lakers by his predecessor. Yes, by LeBron James himself.
The Mavs scored 41 points to the Lakers’ 14 in the 3rd quarter and looked set to hand yet another loss to the Lakers owing to their defensive timidity. The 4th quarter wasn’t going much better either, but then the gold and purple managed to erase 15 points in 7:41 seconds to secure the win.
James scored 11 of his 17 points in the 4th quarter, and Doncic ended the night with 33 points and 11 assists. After the win, LeBron made it a point to reiterate to the media that Los Angeles was Doncic’s city and the Lakers, his team.
LeBron began by acknowledging how difficult it was for Doncic to come back to Dallas and perform the way he has. “A new level to his game, I think the most important [thing] is just his comfort,” he said.
“Obviously, when you get traded midseason, and him spending his first 7 or 8 years here. Obviously, it was [a] shock to everybody. Everybody that was involved, everybody that wasn’t involved in this whole sports world,” added James.
The four-time NBA champion then spoke on Doncic’s situation with the Lakers, explaining that while last year, the Slovenian was simply in a different headspace. This season, Doncic has had some time to settle into his new environment and looks more comfortable.
“Everybody that was involved, everybody that wasn’t involved in this whole sports world. Obviously, him and the guys that were involved in the trade, but I think the biggest thing this year is just more comfortable,” LeBron said.
“Understanding that this is his team. We’re all rallying around him. Obviously, we know it’s kind of an emotional, big game when you come back and play your former team. He showed who he is tonight,” added the King, acknowledging that the team was now Doncic‘s to lead.
Lebron on Luka:
“A new level to his game, I think the most important is just his comfort. Obviously, when you get traded midseason, and him spending his first 7 or 8 years here. Obviously, it was shock to everybody. Everybody that was involved, everybody that wasn’t involved in… pic.twitter.com/y2eoKfThhN
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) January 25, 2026
Doncic has been scoring well the entire season, averaging 33.4 points, 8.7 assists, and 7.8 rebounds in 36 games so far. But what stood out about Saturday night was the composure he showed facing the Mavs, even when the game was spiralling out of control and moving at a chaotic pace.
Doncic slowed down the game when the team needed him to, even with 5 turnovers. The Mavs threw the kitchen sink at him, but Luka had a way out of every trick.
LeBron was his second in command all night and made up for the gaps in defense, allowing Doncic to lead the offense. In the end, the Lakers came off with a 116-110 win that probably means more to them than anything else this season.
