Luka Doncic
The Los Angeles Lakers erased a 15-point deficit late to beat the Dallas Mavericks 116-110 on Saturday night at American Airlines Center, completing a comeback that featured a dominant performance from Luka Doncic.
Doncic finished with 33 points and 11 assists as Los Angeles improved to 4-0 against Dallas since the blockbuster trade nearly a year ago, per Silver Screen and Roll. The win marked his second return to Dallas in a Lakers uniform, and unlike his emotional first visit, the night played out with little drama on the floor.
Los Angeles led by as many as 14 points before losing control in the third quarter. Dallas outscored the Lakers 35-14 in the period and opened the fourth with a 41-14 run that flipped the game. The Lakers responded down the stretch behind Doncic’s shot creation and playmaking, closing strong to seal the road win.
Doncic reached double figures early and connected on two of his three attempts from beyond the arc. Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt provided energy off the bench as Los Angeles steadied itself after the momentum swing.
Why the Jersey Swap Happened Off the Court
Long after the final buzzer, it was a brief postgame interaction that grabbed attention online.
As Doncic crossed paths with former teammate Naji Marshall, cameras and a hot mic captured their exchange. Marshall appeared to initiate a traditional on-court jersey swap, something players often do immediately after games between familiar opponents, TPS reports.
Instead, Doncic suggested handling the exchange later.
“Hey Naj, I’ll send it back. I don’t want to show my body,” Doncic said with a smile.
The comment quickly circulated on social media, sparking conversation among fans about why the swap happened away from the court rather than in front of cameras.
Online Reaction and Past Context
Following the clip’s circulation, fans weighed in across social platforms.
“Wait that’s kinda sad,” one fan commented.
Another added, “NBA Twitter made Luka hate his body.”
Others were more blunt, with one user writing, “Yall fat shamed this man into having to change his shirt in the corner of a locker room SMH.”
The moment also reopened discussion around previous scrutiny Doncic faced during his time in Dallas. Last postseason, a viral tunnel video showed Michael Finley taking a beer from Doncic after the Mavericks clinched the Western Conference title. The clip drew significant attention online.
Later, team governor Mark Cuban addressed the incident during a podcast appearance with Gilbert Arenas, explaining that Finley acted because cameras were present and an interview was imminent, per Basketball Network.
“It wasn’t because he didn’t want him to drink it,” Cuban said. “It was because there was cameras everywhere.”
Despite that clarification, speculation about Doncic’s body and conditioning continued to surface on social media in the months that followed. After joining the Lakers, Doncic appeared on the cover of Men’s Health following an offseason training program that drew widespread attention.
Saturday night’s locker room jersey swap did not come with additional explanation from Doncic after the game. The Lakers star did not address the clip publicly beyond the brief exchange captured on camera.
For Los Angeles, the focus remained on the result, a comeback road win powered by their franchise guard in a familiar building. Still, the brief postgame moment added an unexpected layer to an otherwise routine return to Dallas.