Lakers star Luka Doncic’s joyful practice session before Mavericks matchup goes viral

The Los Angeles Lakers are preparing to host the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night, marking the first time Luka Doncic will face his former team since the surprising trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Mavericks. In the lead-up to this highly anticipated game, video of Doncic practicing with the Lakers has gone viral.

The trade that sent Luka Doncic from the Mavericks to the Lakers stirred controversy, as it meant giving up the team’s cornerstone player, who could have been a foundational piece for the franchise for the next decade. Instead, Mavericks’ management, led by Nico Harrison, opted to acquire Anthony Davis to pair with Kyrie Irving, believing this duo would enhance their chances of winning an NBA title in the near future, whether this season or in the coming years. However, with Davis currently sidelined due to injury, the Mavericks are left struggling to stay competitive, somewhat diminishing the excitement of this matchup, which would have marked Doncic’s return to Los Angeles.

Since the game is in Los Angeles, it won’t be Doncic’s return to his former home arena. However, it will still be intriguing to see how he performs and if he brings any extra motivation to excel against his old team.

Doncic is coming off what was likely his best game as a member of the Lakers, where he scored 32 points on 10-of-22 shooting, including 4-of-9 from beyond the arc. He also contributed 10 rebounds and seven assists, leading the Lakers to a 123-100 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

As the matchup approaches, the Lakers hold a 34-21 record, placing them tied for the fourth seed in the Western Conference alongside the Houston Rockets. Los Angeles aims to chase down the Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies in hopes of securing the second seed for the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Mavericks sit at 31-27 and are looking to finish the regular season strong to avoid falling into the play-in tournament.