In his first game back in Dallas on April 9, Luka Doncic put on an absolute show, notching a season-high 45 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals, leading the Lakers to a 112-97 victory.
While Doncic had a terrific Mavericks homecoming, his head coach, JJ Redick, wished he had reached the sweet spot of 50 points in the “revenge game” against his former team.
“Honestly, I thought he was gonna get 50. I was disappointed,” Redick said jokingly while addressing the media after the Lakers improved to 49-31.
JJ Redick thought Luka (45 PTS) was going for 50 tonight 😆
The rookie head coach praised Doncic for embracing the weight of the moment and answering the bell, referring to him as “superhuman” for rising to the occasion.
JJ Redick speaks to the media on Luka’s performance after tonight’s 112-97 win over Dallas. #LakeShow
“The moment with the tribute video and him sitting by himself and getting to actually live that and live in the moment, allowing himself to be vulnerable and his teammates supporting him, some of his teammates got emotional, some of the coaches got emotional, it was a beautiful moment,” Redick said.
“The video was great, but I think just his ability to then go perform, lights turn on and you know, he’s teary-eyed still as we walk on the court for the tip-off.”
Luka Doncic Ready to ‘Move On’ To New Chapter
After his triumphant return to Dallas, Doncic embraced his former teammates and basked in the cheers from the Mavericks faithful. In his post-game interview, Doncic said he was ready to “move on” to a new chapter in his career. In many ways, he got the closure he was looking for.
“Everybody saw me the way I reacted to the video [with tears],” Doncic told ESPN. “All these fans, I really appreciate it, man. All the teammates I had, everybody had my back. I’m just happy. I love these fans, I love this city but it’s time to move on.”
“So many emotions, can’t even explain it. Brought tears to my eyes, like I said I came here as a young kid here at 18 and not know what to expect from NBA and they made me feel at home. It’s just a lot of great, great memories.”
Lakers Peaking Entering Playoffs
Meanwhile, teammate LeBron James called Doncic’s incredible homecoming an “out-of-body experience” that the entire world witnessed.
“Obviously, you saw the emotions on Luka’s face,” James said. “It was great, it was an unbelievable moment, something I will probably never forget to be a part of that moment. The kid had seven amazing seasons here, from a kid to a man, and for all those moments to come together today, it’s pretty cool.
“He did that. You can call it an out-of-body experience. He was locked in from start to finish.”
The victory over the Mavericks gave the Lakers a cushion as the third seed entering the final weekend of the 2024-25 season.
As of April 10, the Lakers (49-31) held a one-game lead over the fourth-seeded Nuggets (48-32) and fifth-seeded Clippers (48-32).
For the first time in three years, the Lakers secured a guaranteed playoff berth without having to participate in the play-in tournament. LeBron James explained the importance of getting an additional week’s rest ahead of the playoffs.
Why Luka Doncic ‘Disappointed’ Lakers Coach JJ Redick