As Dallas Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison walked through the tunnel before facing the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, fans praised him. Those fans, however, were wearing purple and gold.

“Good trade, Nico!” yelled one fan. Added another: “We love you, Nico!”

On Tuesday, for the first time since Harrison shocked the NBA world by trading Luka Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis in early February, Doncic faced his former team in a highly charged atmosphere.

Harrison encountered some heckling, and during pre-game warm-ups, Serbian music played for Davis, a twist of fate for a player who’s back in his hometown after 5 1/2 seasons leading the Lakers to a championship in 2020. Doncic was warming up on the opposite side of the court.

All eyes were on Doncic.

Before the game, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd compared Doncic to Picasso and stated he was the key to the team’s strategy. After the Lakers triumphed over the Mavericks 107-99, Kyrie Irving stated that playing against a former teammate felt “awkward.”

Doncic played intensely, recording a triple-double with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists, along with three steals and two blocks. However, facing his former team just over three weeks after the trade left him feeling exhausted emotionally and physically.

“The closure is going to take a while, I think,” Doncic admitted. “It’s not ideal. But, like I said, I’m glad this game is over. There was a lot of emotions.”

Doncic struggled to sleep leading up to the game, and the transition of being traded affected him significantly. The five-time All-Star was the focus of discussion across sports media, raising questions about why the Mavericks would ever make such a drastic decision.

Kidd hopes Doncic remains unaffected by external criticism.

“Sometimes you can’t listen to the noise,” he mentioned. “The great ones can block the noise out.”

Kidd remarked that Doncic would become one of the best players globally, expressing confidence in him responding positively to coaching advice.

Doncic is striving to regain his rhythm after a calf strain sidelined him for 22 games. After a shaky start with the Lakers, he showcased a strong performance against Denver, which he replicated against the Mavericks, overcoming the anticipation and pressure.

The tension of the game reached its peak with a tie at 91-91 midway through the fourth quarter. LeBron James took charge, scoring 16 of his 27 points in that period, ultimately leading the Lakers to their 15th win in their last 19 games.

James, seasoned in handling high-stakes games, praised Doncic’s composure during the heavy emotional turmoil he faced before the game.

“He’s grown from being an 18-year-old kid to now a 25-year-old man with a family. When you move on or they move on from you, it’s very emotional.”

Doncic expressed that the experience of playing against his ex-teammates felt strange.

“It was just so weird,” he concluded.

Despite the emotional upheaval, Doncic called Irving his “hermano” (brother in Spanish) after the game, underscoring their bond. Irving shared that he had been supporting Doncic from a distance during the past months.

The surprising trade remains a fresh wound for Doncic, who compared the shock of it to personal heartbreaks he has experienced. He took a definitive step forward on Tuesday, feeling accomplished now that the anticipated reunion with his former team is in the past. “The train keeps moving,” said Kidd, emphasizing the need to focus on the journey ahead.