Luka Doncic scores 45 as Lakers Beat Mavericks to clinch NBA playoff spot

Luka Doncic made a triumphant return to Dallas, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 112-97 victory over his former team, the Dallas Mavericks.

The game, which marked Doncic's first matchup against the Mavericks since his blockbuster trade to the Lakers earlier in the season, was a defining moment for the Slovenian superstar.

His sensational 45-point performance not only secured a playoff berth for the Lakers in the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

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Doncic was nothing short of spectacular, finishing the night with 45 points—his highest scoring output as a Laker—alongside 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 7 three-pointers, and 4 steals.

The matchup carried heavy emotional weight for Doncic, who spent the first six seasons of his NBA career with the Mavericks before being traded to the Lakers in a stunning three-team deal on February 2, 2025, that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas.

This game was the second meeting between the two teams since the trade.

The Lakers previously outlasting the Mavericks 107-99 on February 26, where Doncic recorded a triple-double 19 points, 15 rebounds, 12 assists.