Luka Doncic scored 31 of his 45 points in the first half of his highly anticipated Dallas homecoming as the visiting Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Mavericks 112-97 on Wednesday. Doncic produced his 46th career 40-point game.

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.

Luka Doncic scored 45 points in his first game in Dallas since being traded to the Los Angeles, helping the Lakers wrap up a playoff spot with a 112-97 victory over the Mavericks on Wednesday night.

Dylan Hernández writes Lakers star Luka Doncic showed why he is beloved in Dallas, scoring 45 points against his old team despite intense emotions.

Lakers star Luka Doncic reacts to his 45-point performance in his first game back in Dallas since being traded.

Follow live as Luka Dončić returns to face the Mavericks for the first time since Dallas traded him to the Lakers two months ago.

It was a little bit of Luka magic right away. In his 6 1/2-year run in Dallas, he regularly treated Mavs fans to all sorts of difficult shots. Wednesday’s game gave those fans the chance to show their appreciation for Dončić,

Dallas were welcoming Slovenian-born superstar Luka Dončić as part of the visiting team or thanking him for 6 ½ years of service that are now over. But that exact scenario is playing out on Wednesday,

Luka Doncic returned to Dallas as a Los Angeles Laker on Wednesday. Despite the fans' outrage over the blockbuster trade that led to his departure, he was met with gratitude from Dallas supporters. While some fans felt betrayed by the trade,