The Mavericks are hosting Dončić and the Lakers for the first time since the stunning trade, giving Dallas fans their first chance to see their franchise's former star player back at American Airlines Center. Dončić squared off with his former team in February in L.A., posting a 19-point triple-double in a Lakers win.

Luka Doncic was overcome with emotion in his return to Dallas, but the night ended with the newest Lakers star coming out on top and helping his team clinch a playoff spot.

It was real. Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Laker s in a move that shook the league, set the Lakers up to contend this season and for the foreseeable future, and angered the Mavericks fan base to the point some fans held a mock funeral — complete with a casket — outside the arena.