Ejected one night, hero the next. In a 24-hour span, Luka Dončić and the Los Angeles Lakers went from frustration and ejection in Oklahoma City to celebration and redemption in Dallas. It was a back-to-back stretch that captured the unpredictable nature of the NBA and the emotional weight of Dončić's journey back to the city where it all began.
On Tuesday night, in Oklahoma City, the game was nothing short of chaotic. In a high-scoring affair, the Lakers found themselves trading buckets with the Thunder before everything unraveled in the fourth quarter. With just under eight minutes remaining in a close game, Dončić was ejected after receiving his second technical foul that completely changed the momentum of the game.
Dončić made a comment directed at a fan he previously had a history with, but the referee thought it was made at him, so Dončić received a technical foul. The Lakers struggled to keep up with the Thunder, allowing them to pull away with a 136-120 win. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 42 points, while Lebron James led the Lakers with 28 points with the help of Austin Reaves (24) and Luka Doncic (23).
But the real story came next.
Less than 24 hours later, Dončić stepped onto a familiar court at American Airlines Center in Dallas, his first game back since the blockbuster trade in February that sent him to Los Angeles. The Mavericks honored him with a tribute video that drew a standing ovation from the crowd and some tears from the 26-year-old Slovenian. Fans wore shirts reading “Hvala za vse,” meaning “Thank you for everything,” in Slovenian. Doncic spent his first five-and-a-half seasons with the Mavericks and still had two seasons left on his contract.
Then, as he’s done so many times in that building, Dončić put on a show.
He dropped 45 points, matching a season-high, shooting 16-for-28 from the field, adding eight rebounds and six assists in a 112-97 Lakers win. James scored 27, including 13 in a dominant fourth quarter and the Lakers’ defense held the Mavericks to just 19 points in the fourth quarter, silencing the home crowd after an emotional start.
It was a crazy 48 hours that reminded Dončić that he didn’t have to wait long for a shot at redemption. The last two days showed fans that when the lights shine brightest — whether in the chaos of ejection or the heart of a tribute — Dončić is built for the moment.
The Lakers are currently 49-21 and now sit comfortably in the playoff picture. They still remain third in the Western Conference with two regular-season games left to finish out the season before the playoffs. The Lakers will host the Houston Rockets on Friday, with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. at Crypto.com Arena and then will play the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.