Luka Dončić entered the court docket with the Los Angeles Lakers for his first sport again in Dallas to cheers in an enviornment the place draped over each seat was a T-shirt with “Hvala za vse” throughout the entrance.
That Slovenian phrase interprets to “thanks for all the pieces.”
Then got here the tribute, a video of Dončić’s time with the Mavericks after the remainder of the Lakers beginning lineup had been launched Wednesday night time earlier than his first sport again in Dallas.
That left Dončić alone on the bench for greater than two minutes wanting as much as a few of his many highlights in Dallas – from his NBA rookie of the yr season into final yr’s NBA finals – although he didn’t make it right through earlier than placing his head down and wiping away tears. His eyes had been nonetheless crimson as soon as he was launched and got here on the court docket along with his teammates who surrounded him, together with a number of hugs.
Everybody knew it was going to be an emotional night time with Dončić carrying his No 77 jersey for the Lakers. It was for each the 26-year-old from Slovenia and people Mavericks followers who had been there when he wore that quantity in Mavericks blue the primary 5 and a half seasons of his profession.
Proper after tipoff, the mantra “Hearth Nico” broke out, directed towards Nico Harrison, the Mavericks basic supervisor who traded Dončić. That chant acquired louder and longer within the first quarter, when Dončić already had 14 factors on 5-of-9 capturing.
“That first time again is at all times emotional and there’s no predicting the way you’re going to really feel,” Lakers coach JJ Redick stated earlier than the sport. “Whether or not you sit and give it some thought for days like Dallas has or whether or not it’s a back-to-back, the feelings and the emotions are nonetheless going to be there.”
Dončić’s return comes two months after that seismic commerce out of nowhere. He had been the face of the Mavericks, and he was the NBA scoring champion final season once they made it to the NBA finals. The 2019 rookie of the yr had two seasons left on his contract earlier than the commerce the primary weekend of February in a bundle that introduced Anthony Davis to Dallas.
“Actually, I don’t learn about closure. It’s clearly so much,” Dončić stated after a loss at Oklahoma Metropolis on Tuesday night time. “I do know the followers are going to understand me being again right here. Actually, I don’t understand how I’m going to really feel, however I’m simply excited to be again.”
Not lengthy earlier than the sold-out sport, tickets on the secondary marketplace for upper-level seats had been nonetheless listed for greater than $200, excluding charges. For the Mavericks last house sport Friday night time towards Toronto, comparable tickets had been out there for lower than $20 earlier than charges.
Mavericks followers performed a mock funeral outdoors the American Airways Middle on 2 February, proper after information of the commerce late the earlier night time. There have been protests and loads of ire directed at Harrison, together with “Hearth Nico!” displaying up on loads of indicators and T-shirts. As for the GM, he hasn’t spoken to the media since feedback he made proper after the deal was finished when he stated he felt the staff was “constructed to win now in addition to sooner or later”
Whereas there have been no organized protests outdoors the world earlier than the sport, loads of folks wore No 77 jerseys – each the purple and gold ones of the Lakers and Mavericks jerseys as effectively, although a few of these house ones had the Dallas brand coated up. There have been even some Slovenia jerseys.
One fan sitting a few rows behind the Dallas bench had a Mavericks No 77 jersey, however had “Lakers” written on duct tape overlaying up the emblem. A fan outdoors wore a Los Angeles jersey with duct tape overlaying the Lakers brand that learn “Former Mavs fan”.
This isn’t the primary time Dončić performed the Mavericks. He had a triple-double (19 factors, 15 rebounds and 12 assists) within the Lakers’ 107-99 house win on 25 February, solely 23 days after the commerce.
After that sport, Dončić struggled for the phrases to precise how unusual it was to play towards the Mavs.
“It was so bizarre,” Dončić stated then. “There have been moments I felt like I don’t know what I used to be doing.”
