Luka Doncic's highly anticipated debut with the Los Angeles Lakers has come and gone, and the NBA All-Star is feeling the love. Doncic, who was traded from Dallas to Los Angeles in a deal that stunned the league, helped the Lakers secure a 132-113 win over the Utah Jazz.
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The 25-year-old finished with 14 points on 5-of-14 shooting in just 24 minutes of action, marking his first game since suffering a left calf strain on Christmas Day.
"I was a little bit nervous before," Doncic admitted to reporters. "I don't remember the last time I was nervous before the game. But once I stepped on the court, it was fun. And just being out there again felt amazing."
The Lakers made sure to roll out the red carpet for their new star. Every fan in attendance received a Doncic t-shirt jersey, Serbian music played during warmups, and the team introduced him last — a spot usually reserved for LeBron James.
James, ever the veteran, offered some pregame words of encouragement, telling Doncic, "Luka, be your f—ing self. Don't fit in, fit the f— out. Be yourself."
Doncic, clearly moved by the moment, responded, "It was just a lot of support for me. You could see when I came to the arena, I saw all the Luka jerseys. It was just a surreal feeling."
With the win, the Lakers extended their win streak to six games and climbed to fourth in the Western Conference standings. Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks, who traded Doncic away, are in freefall, having dropped 15 of their last 23 games and now clinging to a one-game lead for the play-in spot.
Several of their fans were ejected from Monday's overtime home loss to the Sacramento Kings, with many of those fans disparaging the name of GM Nico Harrison, who traded Doncic to LA.
Reflecting on his time in Dallas, Doncic said, "I really appreciate it. I've been there seven years — almost seven years — and it was amazing to experience those fans... But now I think we should focus on the next step."
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