Laker Luka Doncic covers his face with a towel on Wednesday evening after watching the tribute video of the Dallas Mavericks to thank him for his contributions to the franchise. Dononic has returned to Dallas for the first time since he was exchanged at the Lakers. (Julio Cortez / Associated Press)
The feelings that Luka Donteic has kept private in the past two months has started to flock.
Literally.
Moved A two -minute assembly that played on the video dashboard At the American Airlines Center on Wednesday evening, Donic later recalled to have thought: “There is no way I play this game.”
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He had no choice.
Donouic wiped his eyes with a towel, walked by a high -level reserves glove and joined the other starters of the Lakers on the ground.
What followed was a performance described by Lakers coach JJ Redick as “superhuman”. Even Doncic could not explain what had happened.
More than two months after the Dallas Mavericks exchanged it LakersDononic returned to the arena he called his home for more than six years.
Its line in the Lakers 112-97 victory: 45 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four interceptions.
It was the kind of time when Shohei Ohtani would have castigated a bullet in the upper bridge, and that’s what Donic did.
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What Doncic did Wednesday is the equivalent of basketball Homering Ohtani last month in the opening series of the Dodgers season in Tokyo or Homering three times last year the day it became The first 50/50 player in the history of baseball.
The Lakers goalkeeper, Luka Doncic, shoots Mavericks Anthony Davis (3) and Dereck Lively II (2) in Dallas on Wednesday. (Julio Cortez / Associated Press)
On the most prominent scene on which he played in a Lakers uniform, with the eyes of everyone from basketball on him, Doncic delivered.
“He always has tearful eyes while we go out on the ground for the peak ball,” said Redick. “To have the emotional resolution of going to put this kind of performance then, it’s superhuman.”
It is not surprising that Doncic remains loved here.
He is loved in Dallas for the same reasons Ohtani is now loved in Los Angeles. Because he is intrepid. Because he delivers. More specifically, because he delivers when he is supposed to do so.
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Never a performance like this one of Doncic as planned until Wednesday evening.
Doncus trade with Lakers has remained a source of controversy Because of his stupidity, almost everyone outside the director general of the Mavericks, Nico Harrison, wondering why someone would separate from a generational talent that is only 26 years old.
The Lakers star, Luka Doncic, goes to the crowd and recognizes the cheers of the fans as he leaves the field in Dallas on Wednesday. (LM Otero / Associated Press)
Dononic did not want to be exchanged and the fans of Mavericks did not want it to be exchanged, creating a strange dynamic in the arena in which the fans of the house and teams visit were on the same side: the side of Dononic.
When LeBron James tried free throws just four seconds from the match, the songs of “Fire Nico” began. The songs were heard throughout the match.
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Also obviously shaken as Donon was by the environment emotionally loaded before the match, he looked entirely unassigned during this.
“You call that an out of the body experience,” said James.
Dononic fired and pulled and pulled.
At the end of the first quarter, Doncic collected 14 points. At halftime, he was 31 years old. Half of 30 points was his first with the Lakers and the 14th of his career.
“I thought he was going to have 50,” said Redick, adding in a joke: “I was disappointed.”
Dononic finished match 16 for 28 shot, including seven for 10 on three points. He recognized that he was drained by experience.
Asked what he thought when he checked the game and had received a standing ovation from what was his crowd at home, he replied: “Honestly, I don’t really know. I didn’t even think.”
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Doncic said he had a hard time sleeping on Tuesday evening, even if the Lakers had played earlier during the day at Oklahoma City. He said he woke up exhausted on Wednesday. Upon entering the arena, Doncic said he was “a little of both, happy and angry”.
However, he delivered.
Find out more: “Everyone had their backs. Lakers forge a tighter obligation supporting Luka Doncic in Dallas
James explained what could mean for the Lakers in the playoffs.
“I mean, he was tested in battle,” said James. “He was in great moments, he played in great moments throughout his career. Literally less than a year away from the NBA final, so he knows what to expect. He is special with that.”
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Doncic was already a star established when he moved to Los Angeles, just like Ohtani last year. Now, Doncic will have the chance to do what Ohtani has done, to become champion, to become a civic hero.
He just has to deliver again.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
