The Los Angeles Lakers, coming off eight wins in their last 10 games to occupy the fourth seed in the NBA Western Conference, face perhaps their most eagerly anticipated game of the regular season so far on Tuesday night. Heading into the contest, the 17-time champions received some welcome good news about their newest superstar.
In one of the most stunning trades in NBA history, on February 2 the Lakers grabbed 25-year-old, five-time All-NBA first team selection Luka Dončić, sending 13-year veteran, four-time first team All-NBA big man Anthony Davis back to the Dallas Mavericks in return.
But Dončić had not played since Christmas Day at the time of the trade, and missed his first three games with Los Angeles due to the same calf injury. Even when he got back into the lineup, Dončić remained on the Lakers injury report before each game, listed as “probable” with the calf issue. But prior to Tuesday’s game against Dallas at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the Lakers’ injury report displayed a conspicuous absence.
Dončić Fully Healthy for First Game Against Old Team
For the first time, Dončić was not listed on the report at all, meaning he was, in the Lakers’ opinion, fully healthy and ready to take on the team that traded him away less than a month ago.
Dončić took home the NBA scoring title last year, with a 33.9 points per game average, and more importantly led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011 — when the franchise won its only NBA championship — and only the third time in Dallas history.
None of that was enough for the Mavericks to keep Dončić in Dallas, however. As a result, the challenge for Lakers’ coach JJ Redick is to keep the Slovenian superstar from becoming overly excited for the matchup.
“I think he’ll be fine,” Redick said, as quoted by NBA.com. “Every day that he’s been with us, it’s becoming just a little bit more normal. I’ve been there. The first time you play your old team, particularly this close in time duration, it’s going to be weird. But he’ll be able to handle it.”
From the Dallas point of view, the move to trade Dončić away was driven by “major concerns about moving forward with (Dončić) due to his constant conditioning issues and the looming commitment of another supermax contract extension this summer,” according to ESPN NBA reporter Tim McMahon.
Dallas ‘Frustrated’ with ‘Lack of Discipline’ From Dončić
But from the Dončić perspective, per a report by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, only served to motivate Dončić, and a “beast was awakened inside” the five-time All-Star.
McMenamin also reported, however, that the Dallas front office experienced “significant frustration” with Dončić due to his “lack of discipline regarding his diet and conditioning” which Mavericks officials believe were a factor in the superstar’s recurring injury setbacks.
For the Lakers on Tuesday, however, 40-year-old Lebron James did appear on the injury report. James was listed as “probable” due to “left foot injury management.”
For Dallas, on the other hand, the news heading into the Tuesday game against the Lakers was not as good. Davis, the player that the Mavericks received in the trade for Dončić, was injured in his first game for his new team and remained listed as “out” with an adductor strain. Davis was scheduled to be reevaluated in two weeks.
