Doncic wiped away his tears and proceeded to wipe the floor with his opponents, galloping up and down the court, a 1.98-metre-tall bag of helium, slipping and sliding through gaps like an octopus with a penchant for quantum physics, the tears seemingly giving him superduperhuman abilities way above his normal range.

Players on both the Mavericks and Lakers recognized the importance of the moment for Doncic, who moved to the United States as a teenager and grew up in Dallas. Anthony Davis even noted that Dallas "still loves him," which underlines the connection Doncic still has with the Dallas community.

DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 45 points in his first game in Dallas since being traded to the Los Angeles, helping the Lakers wrap up a playoff spot with a 112-97 victory over the Mavericks on Wednesday night.