Apr 9, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) and guard Austin Reaves (15) during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Luka Doncic's first game back in Dallas called one of the best revenge games ever

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated Sep 27, 2025 5:29 PM ET

Like many Dallas Mavericks fans, Luka Doncic was upset and stunned when he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in February. He had a few chances to exact revenge against his former team, both in L.A. and in Dallas.

Both were impressive performances, as he had a triple-double in the first game and 45 points in the second. Those performances landed Doncic in David Kenyon's (Bleacher Report) list of the best revenge games in sports ahead of Micah Parsons' return to face the Dallas Cowboys this weekend.

"Since it hasn't even been a year (as of this writing) since the bewildering Luka Dončić trade, this may be a bit overdramatic. However, that night of Feb. 1 feels like a 'where were you' kind of moment in NBA history. Surely that report was fake, right? There was no chance the Dallas Mavericks actually made that trade...right? But it was very real—and very, very painful for Mavs fans.

"To make matters worse, Dončić registered a triple-double in his first matchup with Dallas. In a 107-99 triumph, he netted 19 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists while adding five combined steals and blocks.

"Six weeks later, Dončić returned to his beloved crowd in Dallas and proceeded to drop 45 points on the Mavs in a 112-97 victory for L.A."

An All-Time Performance Back in Dallas for Luka Doncic

That first game back in the American Airlines Center was a one-of-a-kind event. Despite Doncic now being a Laker, the Mavericks crowd was cheering louder for him than they were for the home team. They made it clear which side of the trade they were on, and Doncic delivered an all-time performance.

Doncic scored 45 points on an efficient 16/28 shooting, adding 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals. The night started with him crying on the bench as the team played a tribute video for him, and ended with him being the same cold-blooded killer fans had become used to seeing.

Micah Parsons' situation is a little different, as he eventually asked out of Dallas once contract negotiations soured, something Doncic never wanted. But he could be in store for a big game on Sunday against his former team.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: