Anthony Davis only scored 13 points against his former team. Photo: Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images
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.
Luka Dončić definitely won his trial at the AAC last night. Photo: Naheed Rajwani-Dharsi/Axios
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.