Luka Doncic will face the Dallas Mavericks for the first time since the blockbuster trade that sent him to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. As the Lakers (34-21) prepare to host the Mavericks (31-27) on Tuesday night at 10:00 p.m. ET on TNT, head coach JJ Redick shared his thoughts on Doncic’s mindset heading into the highly anticipated game.
“I think he’ll be fine,” Redick told Greg Beacham of The Associated Press. “Every day that he’s been with us, it’s becoming just a little bit more normal. I’ve been there. The first time you play your old team, particularly this close in time duration, it’s going to be weird. But he’ll be able to handle it.”
Since arriving in Los Angeles over three weeks ago, Doncic has played in four games, averaging 19 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. The Lakers have gone 2-2 in that span as they work to integrate Doncic into the lineup alongside LeBron James.
After missing two months with a calf strain, Doncic appeared to regain his rhythm in Saturday’s 123-100 win over the Denver Nuggets. He delivered a strong performance with 32 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, four steals, and a block, showing signs of the All-NBA form that made him one of the league’s top players before the injury.
Luka Doncic’s teammates confident ahead of first matchup vs. Mavericks
The transition to a new team has brought challenges, but Doncic’s teammates have expressed confidence in him ahead of Tuesday’s matchup. Dorian Finney-Smith, who spent nearly five seasons with Doncic in Dallas before the Mavericks acquired Kyrie Irving in a trade that sent him to the Brooklyn Nets, spoke about the significance of the game.
“I think he’s going to be excited, but everybody in the locker room is excited,” Finney-Smith said. “We’ve got his back. It’s going to be a hard-fought game. I know (Mavs coach Jason) Kidd is going to have them ready to come in here and compete, so we’ve just got to match their intensity.”
Tuesday’s game carries playoff implications as both teams continue to battle for positioning in the Western Conference. The Lakers currently hold the fourth seed, trailing the second-seeded Nuggets by just 2.5 games. The Mavericks sit in seventh place, looking to gain ground in the standings with less than two months remaining in the regular season.
Doncic’s return against the team that drafted him in 2018 adds another layer of intrigue to an already pivotal matchup. With Redick and his teammates expressing full confidence in his ability to handle the moment, all eyes will be on Doncic as he takes the court against Dallas for the first time in the purple and gold.
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