The Los Angeles Lakers will host the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night in what is probably the most anticipated regular season matchup since... what, LeBron's first return to Cleveland? We just do not get "revenge game" narratives as consequential as Luka Doncic against the Mavs very often.
It still does not feel real watching Doncic throw touchdown passes to LeBron James in purple and gold (or whatever off-brand yellow these Lakers uniforms actually are). It remains the most shocking NBA trade in recent memory, maybe ever. Doncic, a 25-year-old MVP candidate with a Finals appearance under his belt and five All-NBA teams to his name, was traded without provocation. Worse yet, he was traded for a historically injury-prone 7-footer six years his elder.
Anthony Davis is awesome, but it's difficult to overstate how good Doncic is, and the window Los Angeles opened up with this trade. That AD was the Mavs' return — 10-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, three-time blocks champ Anthony Davis — and we're talking about it like a Lakers heist job is proof of how high Doncic's value is around the league (except in Dallas, apparently).
This is not a simple as Dallas trading Doncic for misguided reasons, though. In an effort to cover their tracks and explain their thought process, the Mavs threw every manner of PR smear at Doncic. Nico Harrison never said any of it outright, but Dallas effectively called the Slovenian point guard fat, lazy, and a bad leader. None of his former or current teammates seem to agree with that assessment, but even so, it's what the Mavs' media machine pumped to the masses in hopes of currying favor with a heartbroken fanbase.
Obviously that didn't work, and now the Mavs travel to LA to face Doncic without a healthy Davis, who is slated to miss weeks with an adductor strain. Dallas has been compromised by injuries, rejected by its own fanbase, and dragged over hot coals in the national discourse. Next up, Doncic gets his shot at revenge on national television.
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Predicting Luka Doncic's stat line in revenge game against Mavs
Doncic will have a raucous LA crowd to back him up tonight. He's coming off his best performance as a Laker, dropping 32 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists in a convincing 23-point win over the Nuggets. The Mavericks, meanwhile, were blown out in Golden State over the weekend, 126-102.
The tides are changing for both franchises. Dallas just does not have the talent or depth to carry water with its entire frontcourt out of commission. Los Angeles, by comparison, has a real budding swagger to it. Doncic, LeBron, and Reaves is among the most potent offensive trios in the NBA. If the Mavs can't find a way to take advantage of LA's shortcomings, the Lakers are going to run Dallas' patchwork defense out of the building.
This should be a competitive game, hopefully. The Mavs have a lot to prove in the aftermath of Doncic's exit. That whole team has been discounted and disrespected in the aftermath of Doncic's exit. There will be a desire to prove that yes, the Mavs can win marquee matchups without Doncic. Kyrie Irving has been an incredibly thoughtful leader amid all the turmoil in Dallas (talk about a plot twist), and there's a (much smaller) revenge plot in the form of Max Christie, who has been balling out on a longer runway in Dallas.
In the end, though, it's hard to imagine anything other than a Doncic masterclass. Whether it's a close game or a blowout, you just know Doncic will get the last laugh. He's always a fiery competitor, but I'd expect Doncic to give the Mavs bench more than an earful tonight. A lot of yelling and a lot of buckets.
Dallas has several defenders to throw at Doncic in theory. Naji Marshall, P.J. Washington, Dante Exum, and Max Christie should all get their turns. With the Mavs forced into small ball, they'll be able to switch screens and keep mobile bodies in front of Doncic. This might quietly be a tough matchup for this version of the Lakers.
As we've seen time and time again, however, Doncic is more than capable of obliterating a difficult matchup with sheer creativity and shot-making prowess. LeBron is 100 percent going to defer to Doncic tonight. There will be a concerted effort to get the former No. 3 pick going early. JJ Redick understands the situation. They all do. The Lakers will live and die with Doncic taking 30 shots tonight, if need be. The Mavs know what's coming. The question is... can they actually stop it? Odds are, no.
That said, here's my final stat line prediction: 46 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists on 55 percent shooting.
We are eating good tonight, NBA fans.