By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Nico Harrison was recently fired after trading Dončić last February, and in the first matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers since that move, the Slovenian star delivered.
Arriving at Crypto.com Arena in a Bugatti W16 Mistral reportedly worth around $5 million, Dončić put on a show, recording a strong double-double to lead the Lakers to a 129–119 win.
He finished with 35 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds, while Austin Reaves topped the scoring for the Lakers with 38.
Since the trade, Dončić has faced the Mavericks three times—and won all three—improving to 3–0 against his former team.
While Dončić celebrated another victory, Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets fell to the San Antonio Spurs, 136–139, despite the Serbian center coming just one rebound shy of a triple-double.
Jokić posted 21 points, nine rebounds, and 10 assists on 7-of-10 shooting, while Jamal Murray added 37 points. Still, it wasn’t enough against the Spurs, who controlled the second half behind Devin Vassell’s 35 points in the absence of Victor Wembanyama.
Therefore, Spurs are set to meet Luka and the Lakers in NBA Cup Quarterfinals.
Similarly to Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo came close to a triple-double but still ended up on the losing side, as the New York Knicks defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 118–109 at Madison Square Garden.
Returning from injury, Antetokounmpo posted 30 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists on 10-of-14 shooting, but it wasn’t enough. Jalen Brunson powered the Knicks with 37 points.
