The night in the NBA was marked by Luka Dončić's debut performance for the Los Angeles Lakers. It was the beginning of a new era, after the sensational trade that brought Dončić to Los Angeles and Anthony Davis to Dallas.
And in his first appearance in the jersey of the famous franchise, Dončić scored 14 points, had five rebounds and four assists. The Lakers defeated Utah (132:113) and recorded their sixth consecutive victory in the NBA League.
"It was something special. When I watched the guys on the field in the last matches, I just thought I wanted to play with them," the Slovenian international said after the match.
Dončić returned to the court after an injury that kept him out for a while.
"I was a little nervous. That hasn't happened to me in a long time before a game. I haven't played for a long time. This is a new team for me. But it was fun on the court. This is a new team, everything is new. I like the way my teammates helped me, Rob Pelinka, the owner of Džini Bas. I felt a lot of support. It was visible... When I came into the hall, I saw all the 'Luka' jerseys. It was a surreal feeling," Dončić said.
Before the game, LeBron James told Dončić to be who he is.
"For LeBron to say something like that gives me extra confidence. I got goosebumps. It's special. He sees the game differently than a lot of people, his intelligence is insane. And you know, having two of those guys on the court, I think it's going to help the whole team," Dončić said.
The match was also watched by Dirk Nowitzki, a Dallas legend.
"It means a lot to me. The fact that he came. He's a great friend of mine, I've always looked up to him, he's a great mentor. The fact that he showed up, that he flew in from Dallas - it's incredible and I really, really appreciate it," Dončić concluded.
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