Luka Doncic's Mavericks reunion was 'so weird.' He still gets a triple-double and a W for the Lakers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Although Luka Doncic speaks four languages, he struggled for the words to express just how strange it was to play against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night.

Just 23 days after his world was upended by Dallas' shocking decision to trade him, Doncic was on the Los Angeles Lakers' home court to face those same Mavs. His feelings of betrayal and uncertainty are still fresh, and they affected a performance that was inconsistent, occasionally brilliant and altogether fraught with anxiety.

“It was just a lot of emotions I was feeling,” Doncic said. “I can’t even explain. It was a different game. Sometimes, I don’t know what I was doing. I’m just glad it’s over, honestly.”

Doncic’s game was all over the place — just like his head.

He posted his first triple-double in a Lakers uniform, but he also missed 11 of his 17 shots and was wild from 3-point range. He made a dozen sublime passes and at least that many big defensive plays, yet he could only score two points in the fourth quarter of a tight game.

“It was so weird,” Doncic said. “There were moments I felt like I don’t know what I was doing. I’m glad we got a win.”

Fortunately for Doncic, he now has LeBron James for a teammate — and the top scorer in NBA history simply wouldn't let Luka lose.

In that fourth quarter, the Lakers' eager fans saw another glimpse of what Doncic and James can become. James took over the game, scoring 16 of his 27 points in the final period — including three key buckets on passes from Doncic to cap his superb playmaking performance.

Doncic finished with 19 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists in the 81st triple-double of his career.

His teammates would have known it was an important night even if they hadn't seen Doncic take a few meaningful looks at the Mavs' bench, and they helped to sand off the rough edges on Doncic's cathartic evening.

“We understood as his teammates that we wanted to try to get this win for him,” James said. “Obviously, we know what transpired not too long ago. As his teammates, we wanted just to back him in any way, shape or form. Happy that I was — along with my teammates — able to make a couple of plays down the stretch to get him this win. I know he probably won’t say it, but I think it means something to him for sure.”

Doncic was at the center of the Lakers’ attack from the start against Dallas. He missed a 3-pointer after the opening tip, but blocked a shot on Dallas’ first possession before adding a layup and an assist on a 3-pointer by James moments later.

Doncic was hyped, as evidenced when he got whistled for an early technical foul by referee Pat Fraher for overzealously protesting a non-call. Two teammates rushed over to Doncic to make sure it went no further.

Dallas general manager Nico Harrison, who has probably bet his career on trading Doncic, was at the game from pregame warmups onward. Doncic said he didn't see him.

While Doncic shot some early free throws, Lakers fans started a chant that returned throughout the night: “Thank you Nico! Thank you Nico!”

Mark Cuban, who sold controlling interest in the Mavericks 14 months ago, also watched the game from courtside. The billionaire jokingly booed Doncic a few times before Doncic grinningly replied: “Shut up, Mark!”

“It was awkward, but at the same time, it was fun,” said Dallas guard Kyrie Irving, Doncic's good friend. “We got a chance to feel like we were in practice all over again, going at each other. That was a good reflection point, and then just seeing the crowd cheer for him and just get him going and see him make some of the tough shots that I’ve seen him make thousands of times, that probably made it even more awkward. But it was fun. It’s fun competing.”

Doncic was widely assumed to be untouchable as one of the league's best players at just 25 years old — and particularly after carrying the Mavs to the NBA Finals last season. Harrison thought otherwise, and the Lakers eagerly gave up a championship-winning big man to acquire a younger foundational talent for the next decade and beyond.

This game would have been twice as portentous if Anthony Davis had been healthy, but the 10-time All-Star big man who teamed up with James to lead the Lakers to the 2020 championship is out at least two more weeks with a groin injury sustained in his Mavs debut.

Davis still attended the game, and he got a standing ovation in the first quarter when the Lakers aired a lengthy tribute video to their longtime center, who waved both arms in gratitude.

Los Angeles also welcomed back Max Christie, the Lakers' former second-round pick who grew into a starter this season before the trade. Christie scored all of his 10 points in the first half.

The next trade reunion should be even crazier: The Lakers visit Dallas on April 9, and Mavs fans already have been extraordinarily vocal in their displeasure with Harrison and the Dallas ownership group.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, center, listens to the national anthem before an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) stands on the court during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Dallas Mavericks forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper, left, blocks a shot by Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, second from right, is greeted by a fan as he walks off the court after the team's victory over the Dallas Mavericks in an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, left, and Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson hug before an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) and Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) shake hands before an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, center right, warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis, fourth from right, and Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, foreground, warm ups before an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis, center, warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kyunsung Gong)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, center, warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis, right, is greeted by former Los Angeles Lakers player James Worthy before an NBA basketball game against the Lakers, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, center, warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli forces were preparing on Friday to carry out home demolitions across two northern urban refugee camps in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, according to the governor of one of the camps and Israeli military documents shared with The Associated Press by the United Nations.

Abdallah Kamil, the governor of Tulkarem, wrote on Facebook on Thursday that the military was preparing to demolish 116 homes across Tulkarem and Nur Shams refugee camps, two main targets of Israel’s raid into the northern West Bank.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

Two demolition orders indicated that the buildings would be demolished in 24 hours, according to military documents shared by a U.N. official on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

The news sent residents of the now evacuated Nur Shams and Tulkarem camps scrambling back to collect belongings before the destruction of their homes. The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said there were reports of Israeli forces arresting and firing warning shots at Palestinians as they did so.

The Israeli military has been carrying out an operation in the West Bank over the past several months that displaced, at its height, approximately 40,000 Palestinians. It had emptied and largely destroyed several urban refugee camps in the northern West Bank, like Tulkarem and Nur Shams, that housed the descendants of Palestinians who fled or were driven from their homes in previous wars. That’s the largest displacement in the West Bank since Israel captured the territory in the 1967 Mideast war.

Israel has said that troops will stay in some camps for a year.

Residents of the now evacuated refugee camp of Tulkarem return to collect belongings before the destruction of their homes as Israeli forces prepare to carry out the demolition of 116 homes across the two refugee camps of the Israeli occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Residents of the now evacuated refugee camp of Tulkarem return to collect belongings before the destruction of their homes as Israeli forces prepare to carry out the demolition of 116 homes across the two refugee camps of the Israeli occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Residents of the now evacuated refugee camp of Tulkarem return to collect belongings before the destruction of their homes as Israeli forces prepare to carry out the demolition of 116 homes across the two refugee camps of the Israeli occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Residents of the now evacuated refugee camp of Tulkarem return to collect belongings before the destruction of their homes as Israeli forces prepare to carry out the demolition of 116 homes across the two refugee camps of the Israeli occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Residents of the now evacuated refugee camp of Tulkarem return to collect belongings before the destruction of their homes as Israeli forces prepare to carry out the demolition of 116 homes across the two refugee camps of the Israeli occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Residents of the now evacuated refugee camp of Tulkarem return to collect belongings before the destruction of their homes as Israeli forces prepare to carry out the demolition of 116 homes across the two refugee camps of the Israeli occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Residents of the now evacuated refugee camp of Tulkarem return to collect belongings before the destruction of their homes as Israeli forces prepare to carry out the demolition of 116 homes across the two refugee camps of the Israeli occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Residents of the now evacuated refugee camp of Tulkarem return to collect belongings before the destruction of their homes as Israeli forces prepare to carry out the demolition of 116 homes across the two refugee camps of the Israeli occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Residents of the now evacuated Palestinian refugee camp of Tulkarem return to collect belongings before the destruction of their homes as Israeli forces prepare to carry out the demolition of 116 homes across the two refugee camps of the Israeli occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)