Lakers' Luka Doncic savagely stares down Mavericks bench amid revenge game

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Expectations were high for Luka Doncic in his Tuesday night revenge game against the Dallas Mavericks — his first meeting against his former team after the blockbuster trade that sent him to the Los Angeles Lakers at the start of the month. Doncic was expected to light it up and play at his best, raring to prove his former employer’s decision to trade him away wrong.

It was not smooth-sailing for Doncic at first; he clanked a three-point attempt and even hit the side of the backboard on a corner three try before making his first basket against the Mavericks off an offensive rebound. But when Kyrie Irving decided to come alive and hit two straight threes, it sure did look like Doncic had no other choice but to match his “hermano” in that department. After nailing two consecutive triples of his own, the newest Lakers star was hyped up — even staring at the opposing team’s bench.

OH WOW, Luka Doncic buries a deep three-pointer and turns around to stare the Mavericks bench, I LOVE IT!!! pic.twitter.com/78pgtFyuya

— Italo Santana (@BulletClubIta) February 26, 2025

It’s evident when Doncic is feeding off of the crowd’s energy, and that’s exactly what he did after scoring six points in quick succession. It is also apparent when the Lakers star is taking the matchup personally, as he doesn’t run out of expletives — in whatever language — to shout out to express his elation.

This game against the Mavericks couldn’t be more personal for Doncic. Imagine being sent away by your former employer, only for that former employer of yours to criticize your work ethic, health, and do so publicly and without restraint. No one has a bigger chip on his shoulder in the NBA these days than the Lakers star, and the league, especially the Mavs, better be terrified of the version of Doncic that has been unleashed into the wild.

Luka Doncic is figuring it out quickly in a Lakers uniform

There was some concern surrounding Luka Doncic in his first few games with the Lakers, although everyone understood that he wasn’t yet at his best considering he was coming off a lengthy layoff caused by a calf injury. Doncic struggled immensely during the Lakers’ loss against the Charlotte Hornets, and it did look like it was going to take him some time to get accustomed to his new digs.

But against the Denver Nuggets, Doncic showed why the entire NBA world thought it was foolish for the Mavericks to give up on him. He put up 32 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists in the Lakers’ win, and it sure looks like he’s back on track.

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