Luka Doncic's Kyrie Irving shoutout after Lakers-Mavs game is pure gold
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It was surely strange for Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic to square off with the men he shared a locker room with only a month ago, but it was probably especially surreal to come face to face with one Dallas Mavericks player in particular on Tuesday night. Doncic and Kyrie Irving were running mates for a relatively short time– approximately two years– but they made many memories together, both on and off the court.
They were competitors once again in the Crypto.com Arena, as each superbly talented guard made an imprint in this Western Conference showdown. Despite shooting just 35.3 percent from the field, Doncic tallied a triple-double consisting of 19 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists. He added three steals and two blocks, as the Lakers earned the 107-99 home win.
Irving stuffed the stat sheet as well, accruing 35 points, seven boards, three steals and two blocks in defeat. Before the game, the former backcourt duo broke out their special handshake, and the vibes remained strong between the two afterwards. Doncic may hold some hard feelings toward Mavs general manager Nico Harrison, but he shares a deep bond with No. 11 and his former teammates.
“Ky is my hermano,” he told the media, per reporter Grant Afseth. “We go way beyond basketball. It was good to see those guys. We went to wars together, and it was really fun to see them all.”
Luka Dončić on seeing his old Dallas Mavericks teammates for the first time since being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
"Kyrie is my Hermano. We got beyond basketball. It was good to see those guys. We went to wars together, and it was really fun to see them all." pic.twitter.com/BVLAOWJ0eM
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) February 26, 2025
Luka Doncic aims to form another successful duo
It is nice to know that Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving formed a strong relationship that can withstand an abrupt workplace split. Though, from an on-court standpoint, they have the opportunity to still stay uniquely connected. The stellar Slovenian is now paired up with the legendary LeBron James, a man who won a championship with Irving in 2016 on the Cleveland Cavaliers. Doncic hopes to have that in common with his friend by the time the 2025 NBA playoffs conclude.
The two superstars displayed a strong rapport versus the Mavericks, giving Lakers fans a taste of what they hope to see in a larger sample size during the next few months. Doncic made multiple effective lob passes to James, who scored a team-high 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds while pushing LA through a hotly-contested fourth quarter.
They will try to typify impressive chemistry again when the streaking Lakers (35-21) welcome in the Minnesota Timberwolves (32-27) on Thursday. Hermanos Doncic and Irving will next face off on April 9, which will mark the former’s much-anticipated return to Dallas.
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