Paul Pierce Was Embarrassingly Wrong About Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic wiped away tears to dominate his old team on Wednesday night. Paul Pierce hopefully learned that it's wise to stay off social media until the final whistle.

For the first time since February's ground-breaking blockbuster trade, Doncic returned to American Airlines Center. He cried while watching a pre-game video tribute before leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 112-97 victory over the Dallas Mavericks with 45 points.

Before the tipoff, Pierce tried to turn Doncic's humanity into an indictment. The former Boston Celtics star predicted that the 26-year-old couldn't compartmentalize his feelings and play well at Dallas.

"That's too emotional for him. Man, he can't take it, dog. Look, he about to cry. He’s crying! Told y'all," Pierce said in an Instagram Stories video. "Look, he ain't gonna be able to play tonight. LeBron's gonna have to save him. I told you, he's too emotional right now."

Doncic was certainly able to play Wednesday night. Last season's leading scorer made 16 of 28 field goals, including eight of 10 from downtown. He added eight rebounds, six assists, and four steals for good measure.

In Pierce's defense, even Doncic worried about the emotional homecoming affecting his play.

"I don't know how I did it," Doncic told Lisa Salters after the game. "Because when I was watching that video, I was like, 'There's no way I'm playing this game.' But you know, all my teammates had my back. They were really supportive, so I really appreciate that."