Both the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers knew that Tuesday night’s game would be emotional because it was the first time Luka Doncic was playing against his former team.
And while there were certainly mixed feelings among some people, Kyrie Irving said it was a good night of basketball.
Following his team’s loss on Tuesday, Irving stated that the game was “fun” and it was different but exciting to play against Doncic, similar to a practice scrimmage from seasons past.
“It was fun competing. Lot of high-level basketball players out there,” Irving said, via NBA on X.
“It was fun. It was fun competing. Lot of high-level basketball players out there.”
– Kyrie on playing against Luka tonight 🤝 pic.twitter.com/LBcVPrfLHW
— NBA (@NBA) February 26, 2025
All eyes were on Doncic when the night began because people wanted to see how he would perform against the Mavericks.
Would he take out the anger and aggression about the recent trade, or would he be outplayed by his one-time teammates?
In the end, Doncic did quite well and earned his first triple-double with the Lakers, putting up 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists on the way to a 107-99 victory.
Irving had an incredible game for the Mavericks with 35 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks.
Between him and Klay Thompson’s three-pointers, the game was much closer than some people expected.
Irving still holds a special place in his heart for Doncic, and he is glad they can remain close even though they are competing against one another.
Both men are clearly moving on and trying to achieve all they can for their respective teams.
Of course, Doncic wasn’t Irving’s only former teammate on the court during Tuesday’s game, and he also had a few friendly and warm moments with LeBron James as well.
NEXT: Bob Myers Reveals What He’s Hearing About Luka Doncic With Lakers
