NBA roundup: Luka Doncic shines with triple-double in first game against Mavs

Luka Doncic faced his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, for the first time since his surprising transfer to the Los Angeles Lakers, achieving a triple-double in a 107-99 victory on Tuesday.

The five-time All-Star joined the Lakers in a trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Mavericks, a move that shocked the NBA community and left Dallas fans disheartened.

Davis, currently sidelined due to injury, attended the game at the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles, where he received a tribute from the Lakers during the first timeout.

Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, who has faced criticism from Dallas fans since the trade, was also greeted warmly by Lakers supporters, who chanted "Thank you Nico" while Doncic was at the free-throw line.

Doncic scored 19 points on 6-of-17 shooting, along with 15 rebounds and 12 assists, acknowledging that it was an unusual experience competing against his former teammates.

"I don't know how to explain it, I think in the first quarter, second quarter, I didn't know what was happening. It was just different, I can't even explain how I felt," he told broadcaster TNT.

Doncic admitted that despite his key role, his shooting was off in a game where the Lakers needed a big fourth quarter from LeBron James to secure the win.

"I couldn't make nothing today, I am just glad we got a win. I can't wait to go to sleep honestly," said the Slovenian, who made a key assist to James to make sure of the win.

James scored a total of 27 points, with 16 of those points being recorded in the fourth quarter.

Despite being short-handed, the Mavericks displayed remarkable resilience, led by Kyrie Irving, who excelled with 35 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Klay Thompson contributed 22 points for Dallas.

The leading Cleveland Cavaliers have increased their winning streak to eight games following a decisive 122-82 victory over the Orlando Magic.

Ty Jerome was the standout performer off the bench for Cleveland, contributing 20 points in 21 minutes, while Max Strus added 17 points, including five successful three-pointers.

This commanding win elevates the Cavaliers to an impressive league-best record of 48-10 for the season, even with Donovan Mitchell limited to only 11 points.

"We move it quickly, we move it quickly up the floor in transition, make quick decisions, everyone touches it - it is a fun style of play," said Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson.

"It creates a lot of open looks and our skill level is super high, you have to have high skill level to play that way," he added.

The Boston Celtics, currently positioned just behind Cleveland in the Eastern Conference, extended their winning streak to six games with a 111-101 triumph over the Toronto Raptors.

Jaylen Brown led the scoring with 24 points, while Derrick White contributed 22 points. Payton Pritchard added 20 points, and Jayson Tatum recorded 19 points along with 11 assists for the Celtics.

White excelled from beyond the arc, making six of his eleven three-point attempts in a contest where Toronto found themselves down by 17 points early in the fourth quarter.

Despite the Raptors narrowing the deficit to seven points with 4:18 remaining, the outcome was never seriously in question, as White's final three-pointer confirmed the victory.

Brown did not participate in the last three minutes of the match due to an injury affecting his left leg.

The Celtics were missing Kristaps Porzingis due to illness, while Jrue Holiday was given a rest. Additionally, Luke Kornet was unavailable for personal reasons, and Al Horford was dealing with a sore big toe.

White commended the team's ability to adapt in light of these absences.

"Standards are standards so it doesn't matter who is playing. A lot of guys had big minutes for us, we had to figure it out and we got the win," he said.

The Memphis Grizzlies, currently positioned third in the Western Conference, required overtime to secure a victory against a resilient Phoenix Suns team, finishing the game at 151-148. Ja Morant led the scoring with 29 points and contributed eight assists.

In the fourth quarter, Morant was particularly impactful, scoring 15 points, which included the crucial shot that tied the game just before the conclusion of regulation.

SportsLigue