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is just 22 years old but many have hailed him as the league’s best young player due to his varied skill set. In his return to the Dallas Mavericks lineup,
Luka flirted with a triple-double and was slapped with a technical foul after having some choice words for Los Angeles Clippers player Terrence Mann.
Luka emerged as one of the NBA’s top superstars and is the cornerstone of the Mavs, who are now coached by former star player Jason Kidd. After recovering from ankle and knee injuries, Luka poured in 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists to go along with a lot of trash-talking and a big boost from Kristaps Porziņģis, who scored 30 points and hauled in 7 boards.
The Mavs took on the Clippers at the Staples Center where things got chippy in the first quarter. After backing Mann down in the post, Luka turned the corner for an easy layup and reportedly yelled to the defender that he was “too f*cking small” leading to Luka getting hit with the tech. Mann, who always displays some massive heart, got in Luka’s face while the pair jawed a bit then were split apart.
The Mavs went on to beat the Clippers in overtime 112-104, and it was a solid win for the 10-7 squad, inching just past the Clippers for the fourth spot in the Western Conference. The rivalry between the two teams is an extension of the NBA’s time in the Orlando bubble and only looks to heat up from here.
Fans and detractors alike are well aware of Luka’s propensity to trash talk and his ability to take over a game in the blink of an eye. Some sportswriters expressed dismay that Luka came back out of the offseason out of shape and others are critical of Coach Kidd in his role but with Luka Dončić back in the lineup, the Dallas Mavericks could be one of the top teams to beat.
With Luka’s name trending on social media, we’ve compiled a number of the reactions below.
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