Luka Dončić fought back tears during a heartfelt video tribute in his return to Dallas. He played his first game at American Airlines Center as a visitor after 6.5 seasons with the Mavericks. The emotional night turned into a dominant performance, as Dončić poured in 45 points along with 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, and 7 three-pointers to lead the Lakers to a 112-97 win and secure a Playoff berth.
Special tribute to a special player
— NBA (@NBA) April 10, 2025https://t.co/RhqDEdsrrO
Luka set the tone early, scoring 14 points in the first quarter and 31 by halftime, joining Kobe Bryant and LeBron James as the only Lakers with at least 30 points and five threes in a half. The Mavericks kept it tight, trailing by just three at the break, and briefly took the lead in the fourth after a 22-7 run.
Luka had an INCREDIBLE performance in his return to Dallas:
— NBA (@NBA) April 10, 202545 PTS (most w/ Lakers)
The @Lakers clinch a spot in the #NBAPlayoffs presented by Google! pic.twitter.com/joBwFu6kz6
That’s when LeBron took control, scoring 13 of his 27 points in the final quarter to help seal the win. In the closing minutes, Luka hit three consecutive buckets to match his season-high 45 before exiting to a standing ovation.
“So many emotions,” Dončić said postgame, soaking in the cheers from a crowd that once called him their own.
Anthony Davis, facing the Lakers for the first time since joining Dallas, tallied 13 points, 11 boards, and six assists in his reunion game.
With the win, the Lakers locked in a top-six seed and now need one more victory to clinch the No. 3 spot in the West. LeBron also moved into second all-time in NBA games played with his 1,561st appearance, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Despite the loss, Dallas secured a Play-In spot thanks to Phoenix’s defeat. They remain one game behind Sacramento for home-court advantage in the 9 vs. 10 matchup.