In Luka Doncic's Lakers debut, crowd chants 'Luu-ka.' In Dallas, fan mouths 'Fire Nico' and gets ejected
Yes, it was a tale of two arenas Monday night, where visceral reactions to the blockbuster trade that shook the NBA a week ago were evident in Los Angeles and Dallas.
Lakers fans rejoiced during Luka Doncic's debut at Crypto.com Arena, donning team-issued No. 77 jerseys and chanting "Luu-ka" at every opportunity during a win over the Utah Jazz.
Meanwhile at American Airlines Center, Mavericks fans were dejected and ejected because they objected to the trade of Doncic to L.A. by hoisting signs and loudly calling for the firing of general manager Nico Harrison during an overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings.
Harrison has been subjected to intense resentment from fans since trading the immensely talented and popular Doncic to the Lakers for the immensely talented but often injured big man Anthony Davis. It certainly didn't help the mood in Texas when Davis exited his Mavericks debut Saturday with an adductor injury after dominating with 26 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists in 31 minutes. Davis is expected to be sidelined for a month.
A thousand or so people, some wearing "Fire Nico" T-shirts, protested outside the arena before that game. The ire escalated Monday night, with the crowd booing lustily each time a fan was led from their seats to the exit for violating the NBA code of conduct.
Read more: Plaschke: The Los Angeles Lukas! Newly acquired Doncic dazzles in his Lakers debut
Two fans held up "Fire Nico" signs, and one was seen mouthing those same words on the video screens before being ejected. Later in the game, two men were shown the door after a profane shouting match with Mark Cuban, the longtime Mavericks owner who was seated near the team bench.
"In the first incident, the guest brought in a sign that broke the following rule included in the NBA Code of Conduct: Clothing, garments or signs displaying explicit language, profanity or derogatory characterization towards any person(s)," Mavericks spokesman Erin Finegold said in a statement.
"In the second incident, the fan wore a T-shirt that also broke the [same] rule and also was intoxicated, disruptive and uncooperative, all listed in the NBA Fan Code of Conduct," the statement continued.
Cuban, who sold 69% of the team to casino magnates Miriam Adelson and Patrick Dumont in 2023, told ESPN the fans yelled, "Fire Nico" while the Mavericks shot free throws and again late in the game. Cuban said he did not curse until the fans shouted at him.
Harrison wasn't seen in his usual seat in the arena's lower bowl, but Dumont was booed when he returned to his courtside seat in the third quarter. Mavericks players, for their part, took the fan reaction in stride.
"It's not our job to get deflated because people are upset," Klay Thompson told reporters. "Our job is to convince them that there are really great days ahead, not just for this year but for the next few years.
"People are going to say stuff, and that's understandable. I was a fan, I'm still a fan. If I didn't agree with a trade, I'd probably voice my opinion, too. That's the beauty of sports. You go there to yell and be rambunctious sometimes."
Kyrie Irving alluded to Mavericks fans experiencing a grieving process after the abrupt departure of Doncic, a five-time All-NBA guard and centerpiece of the franchise.
"To see the emotions come out like that over basketball, that just shows you that basketball is not just a game to certain people," Irving said. "It's a spiritual experience. It's a connector piece, and they watch their favorite players and they want to see them forever. So, I run to the side of understanding where people are coming from."
Read more: Luka Doncic makes Lakers debut shortly after giving a $500,000 fire relief donation
Meanwhile, no such explanations were necessary at Crypto.com Arena, where even Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki showed up to support Doncic, who was showered with cheers despite finishing with only 14 points, five rebounds and four assists in an abbreviated 24 minutes. Serbian music was played during pregame warmups and LeBron James graciously allowed his new teammate to be introduced last when starting lineups were announced.
“Special,” Doncic said of the moment. “The way they received me, everybody, it was amazing to see. I was a little bit nervous before. I don’t remember the last time I was nervous before the game. But once I stepped on the court, it was fun. And just being out there again felt amazing.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
