The Dallas Mavericks will face Luka Dončić for the first time Tuesday night since they shockingly traded him away at the beginning of the month. It’s a highly anticipated matchup after the deal sent Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, an unprecedented situation as the soon-to-be 26-year-old superstar has barely entered his prime and just led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals last season.
Emotions will certainly be high for this matchup in L.A., though Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving doesn’t want to focus on that aspect of it, at least not until after the game is over.
“[I anticipate] a high-level basketball game,” Irving said after Dallas’ 126-102 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. “A lot of good players on the floor at once. Outside of just the obvious of use being in L.A., and being a former team of Luka’s obviously the narrative is already written. I don’t know what else I can really add to that. I’m pretty much focused, and telling my guys to focus on the high-level game that we gotta win. I would love to get into the emotions after the game with you, but before the game it’s just about having fun and making sure we lock in and have a deep focus.”
“They’re going to come in and be ready to play against us,” Irving continued. “Luka is obviously going to have a lot of confidence that game. He played well last game, so he’s feeling good so we just gotta be aware of it.”
Dončić will be riding the high of a 32-point, 10-rebound, seven-assist performance in L.A.’s blowout 123-110 win against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night. It was the first time in his short tenure in purple and gold where it felt like Dončić was fully settled into his new environment. He’s obviously still working back from a calf sprain that sidelined him for over a month, but Dončić will certainly be chomping at the bit to have a massive performance against the team responsible for upending his life out of the blue.
Lakers’ LeBron James explains why his connection with Luka Dončić ‘fits perfectly’
Jack Maloney
Many of the reports that have come out since the Dončić trade have focused on Dallas being tired of having to stay on the Slovenian guard about his conditioning, lack of effort on defense and off-court habits. Though, none of those things stopped him from leading the league in scoring last season. As confusing as the reasons have been that have leaked from the Mavericks camp, it will only serve as motivation for Dončić, who thrives off any sort of trash talking, real or imagined.
For the Mavericks, they’re coming off a lifeless loss to the Warriors, and will enter this matchup on fumes as they continue to be without a single one of their centers as Anthony Davis — the key piece they acquired in the Dončić trade — Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford and Dwight Powell are all still sidelined. It’s going to leave the Mavericks incredibly vulnerable in the frontcourt, giving Dončić the perfect opportunity to expose this glaring weakness. There will be no shortage of lobs from Doncic to LeBron James, Jaxson Hayes and anyone else with a clear path to the rim for takeoff.
We’ll have to see if the Mavericks can put the kibosh on Doncic’s revenge game, but it’ll be incredibly difficult given how well he and the Lakers have been playing, and how shorthanded Dallas will be.
