It's been over two months since the Dallas Mavericks stunned the basketball world by sending Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers via a three-team trade.

Even with that much elapsed time, it still felt surreal for many to see the 26-year-old Slovenian play as a visitor on Thursday night at his old stomping grounds against his former team at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Adding to the emotional night was the tribute video the Mavericks played before the game. Doncic couldn't hold back his tears as he watched some of his most memorable moments during his time with Dallas. After the game, the five-time NBA All-Star opened up about the video.

“All of it for sure,” Doncic said about what was his favorite part of the video (h/t Joey Mistretta of ClutchPoints). “I’d probably say the shot in the Conference Finals. We were probably the underdog… We came together and played together; it was just another level,” he added.

Doncic was referring to the huge go-ahead shot that he drained in Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves, one that Mavs fans will never forget.

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As for the game itself, Doncic gave Mavericks fans flashbacks of how great it was when their team had him on their team. Doncic, who led Dallas to an NBA Finals appearance in 2024, went down to work early, scoring 31 points in the first half on 11-for-16 shooting from the field to go with three assists, three rebounds and three steals.

The former NBA scoring champion finished the contest with a game-high 45 points on 16-for-28 shooting with seven 3-pointers, eight boards, six dimes and four steals in 38 minutes of all-around brilliance, helping Los Angeles eke out an important 112-97 victory and improve to 49-31.

The Lakers clinched a playoff spot with that win as well. The Mavericks, on the other hand, will still be playing in the NBA Play-in Tournament after the Phoenix Suns got eliminated from postseason contention following a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on the same night.

Naji Marshall paced the Mavs against the Lakers with 23 points while PJ Washington and Anthony Davis had 14 and 13 points, respectively.