Luka magic … against the Mavericks
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Luka Dončić's fadeaways didn't hit the same at American Airlines Center last night. He scored 45 points — for the other team.
- The Los Angeles Lakers dominated the Dallas Mavericks, winning 112-97.
Why it matters: Fans waited over two months for their favorite player's return after he was traded away in early February in a deal that shocked the sports world and brought Anthony Davis to Dallas.
- It was the Mavericks' highest-demand regular-season home game since 2010, when Vivid Seats started tracking the team's ticket prices. The average sold price for tickets hit $405 yesterday, per the ticket marketplace.
The big picture: The Mavericks are 38-42 and 10th in the Western Conference. They are still fighting for a chance to make the playoffs.
- The Lakers are third in the conference and secured a playoffs berth last night.
State of play: Davis and Dereck Lively II have returned after their injuries but Kyrie Irving, who led the team to the finals with Dončić last year, is out for the season.
- Still, last night's game was a dunk show. Naji Marshall was the Mavericks' top scorer, with 23 points. LeBron James scored 27 points for the Lakers.
The intrigue: The Mavericks put T-shirts saying "Hvala za vse," Slovenian for "Thank you for everything," on every seat.
- Just before tipoff, the team played a tribute video for their beloved "77," bringing Dončić and many fans to tears.
- The crowd cheered every time he got the ball or scored.
- Dončić's father Saša, Mark Cuban, Dirk Nowitzki and Patrick Mahomes were also there.
Sad fact: Dončić stayed on the court after the game to hug his former teammates as hundreds of fans stood in the stands and applauded for him.
- "I love these fans, I love this city," he said in a post-game interview. "But it's time to move on."