Everybody loves a good revenge story, but the ones that hit the hardest evoke complex emotions from all involved. Think of Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill epic. The Bride is committed to her plan, but that does not make the mission any easier to mentally digest. In Wednesday night’s battle between the Los Angeles Lakers (49-31) and Dallas Mavericks (38-42), Luka Doncic wore his feelings on his face and then proceeded to take care of business in the place he used to call home.
And fans gobbled it up. The 26-year-old guard’s return to the American Airlines Center drew huge ratings for the NBA. An average of 2.26 million viewers watched the Lakers’ 112-97 victory versus the Mavs, which marks ESPN’s largest non-Christmas audience of the season, per the longtime sports programming network’s public relations X account.
When the Mavericks suddenly traded their franchise keystone less than a year after he led them to the NBA Finals, fans were in complete disbelief. Many assumed that top NBA insider Shams Charania had been hacked, as there was no indication that such an earth-shattering blockbuster could occur under those circumstances. The number of people who plopped themselves in front of their televisions to witness Doncic’s Dallas homecoming reinforces the magnitude of that historic transaction.
Lakers’ Luka Doncic has an unforgettable night
The five-time All-NBA First-Team selection and five-time All-Star dropped 45 points on stellar 16-of-28 shooting to go with eight rebounds, six assists and four steals. What is most amazing, though, is that he did it all just hours after crying during a touching pregame video tribute. Displaying superhuman powers, per head coach JJ Redick, Luka Doncic embraced the love from the Dallas crowd and then torched his former squad.
It was a gripping tale that matched all the hype and speculation. The NBA continues to reap the financial benefits that this shocking turn of events has produced. Meanwhile, Mavericks fans seemingly cherished the opportunity to revisit what they lost. Steadfast appreciation sounded throughout the arena, and unrelenting contempt enveloped general manager Nico Harrison.
This LA-Dallas matchup transcended the action on the court and was a perfect appetizer for the NBA playoffs.
