Luka Dončić scores 45 in front of cheering crowd at AAC
Luka Dončić on return to Dallas | FULL
Luka Dončić talks about his return to Dallas to take on the Mavericks and what the support from the fans meant to him.
DALLAS - Luka Dončić made the most of his return to Dallas to take on the Mavericks.
The Slovenian superstar matched his season high with 45 points against the Mavericks in his first time playing at the American Airlines Center as a Los Angeles Laker.
Los Angeles pulled away from Dallas at the end of the game on the way to a 112-97 win.
Dallas fans spent much of the game cheering on Dončić after he was shockingly traded to Los Angeles in early February.
Luka Dončić post game comments
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 9: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on April 9, 2025 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
What they're saying:
After the game, Dončić talked about how much the support from the fans meant to him.
"I love these fans, I love this city, but it's time to move on," said Dončić. "I came here as a young kid at 18, and I didn't know what to expect in the NBA. They made it feel like home. It's just a lot of great, great memories."
WATCH: Emotional Luka Dončić reacts to Mavs tribute video
Luka Dončić got emotional ahead of his first game back in Dallas since he was traded by the Mavericks.
The Mavericks played a pregame video, thanking Dončić for his time in Dallas. The 26-year-old teared up on the bench.
"I was like, there's no way I'm playing this game. So many emotions and I just went out there and just played basketball," Dončić said.
Doncic said despite being back in his own bed in Dallas, he did not sleep well the night before the game.
"I didn't sleep much. I was excited about this game and I really appreciated the fans, the way they reacted to me," he said. "I'm happy it's over. Now I can get some sleep finally, but I can say it was an amazing experience."
After the game, Luka embraced some of his former teammates.
"Those are my brothers. I know we're not on the same team now, but I'll always contact with them. We went to wars together and it was just nice to see everybody," he said.
Mavericks vs. Lakers
By the numbers:
The 45 points matched Dončić ’s season high — he did that once for Dallas and one other time for the Lakers. He also had eight rebounds, six assists and four steals.
LeBron James had 13 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, when the Lakers fell behind before a strong finish.
Anthony Davis, came to the Mavericks in the Dončić trade, had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Naji Marshall led the Mavs with 23 points and eight assists.
Big picture view:
The win secured a playoff spot for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Mavericks are still in position to finish 10th and make the play-in tournament.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Associated Press, the NBA and post game comments from Luka Dončić on April 9, 2025.