Luka's Lakers vs. Luka's Mavericks: A Chicago Sports Stuff x Strat-O-Matic Simulation
What if Luka Doncic's new team stared down his old team? It would be weird.
FOR REASONS beyond anybody’s comprehension, the Dallas Mavericks traded generational talent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for uber-talented, oft-injured center Anthony Davis.
Because we’re opinionated d-bags, Chicago Sports Stuff immediately graded the deal without offering any particular insight:
Los Angeles Lakers: A+
Dallas Mavericks: F-
That, of course, is a knee-jerk grade — Doncic is currently injured and won’t see the court for who-knows-how-long, so we won’t have idea who one the trade for months, if not years.
Or will we?
In what might be the fastest fantasy sports turnaround in the history of fantasy sports turnarounds, our pals at Strat-O-Matic simulated how Luka’s old team (the Mavs) would fare against his new team (the Lakers) in a seven-game series.
Spoiler alert: It went the distance.
(Note: Game copy kindly provided by Strat-O-Matic.)
GAME ONE
In an electric opener, Maverick Luka exploded for 49 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds, out-dueling Laker Luka (22 points, 11 assists, 9 rebounds).
Dallas controlled most of the game, with Klay Thompson (28 points) and Kyrie Irving (19 points) providing key support. The Lakers surged late, but Thompson’ clutch three with 16 seconds left sealed the win.
Despite LeBron James (23 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists) and Austin Reaves (16 points, 7 assists) keeping it close, the Lakers’ Luka struggled from deep (3-14 from three).
Mavericks 135 - Lakers 130
(DAL 1-0)
GAME TWO
The pre-trade Luka Doncic continued his dominance, leading Dallas to a commanding 148-128 victory behind 38 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds. He shot an efficient 58% from the field and 6-11 from three, while orchestrating a near-flawless offensive performance.
On the other side, the Lakers’ Luka Doncic also posted 38 points but struggled with efficiency (13-28 FG, 9-20 3PT), as Los Angeles failed to keep pace with Dallas' relentless scoring.
The Lakers got it down to a two point game with 9:14 left but the Mavs outscored LA 31-13 from that point on. Kyrie Irving (20 points), Spencer Dinwiddie (17 points), and Naji Marshall (16 points) provided crucial support. Klay Thompson struggled (10 points on 5-16 shooting), but the Mavericks’ Luka carried the load.
LeBron James (21 points, 6 assists) and Austin Reaves (14 points, 7 assists) were the Lakers key contributors beyond Luka.
Mavericks 148 - Lakers 128
(DAL 2-0)
GAME THREE
The post-trade Lakers’ Luka Doncic led Los Angeles to a dominant 141-120 victory, cutting Dallas’ series lead to 2-1. He finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists, controlling the game from start to finish.
Los Angeles set the tone early, leading by as much as 30 points, thanks to strong performances from LeBron James (27 points, 8 assists) and Austin Reaves (21 points, 8 assists). The Lakers’ defense also stepped up, limiting Dallas’ Luka to just 16 points on 7-12 shooting—his lowest output of the series so far.
Despite Kyrie Irving (24 points) and Klay Thompson (20 points) trying to keep Dallas afloat, the Mavericks struggled to match the Lakers’ efficiency (57% FG) and pace (28 fast break points).
Lakers 141 - Mavericks 120
(DAL 2-1)
GAME FOUR
In a tense, back-and-forth battle, the Lakers’ Luka Doncic led his team to a hard-fought 108-106 victory, tying the series at 2-2.
Despite shooting just 33% (8-24 FG, 1-7 3PT), Lakers’ Luka finished with 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists, making key plays down the stretch to secure the win. Austin Reaves (25 points, 7 assists) was the Lakers' most efficient scorer, hitting 64% from the field, while LeBron James (16 points, 8 assists) provided steady leadership.
The Mavericks' Luka Doncic had a game-high 36 points, shooting 58% (14-24 FG, 2-5 3PT), but it wasn’t enough as Dallas' late rally fell short. Kyrie Irving (21 points) and Klay Thompson (15 points) chipped in, but the Mavericks' offense struggled in the second quarter (16 points), allowing the Lakers to take control.
Lakers 108 - Mavericks 106
(Tied 2-2)
GAME FIVE
The post-trade Lakers’ Luka Doncic delivered a near triple-double performance, finishing with 29 points, 16 assists, and 8 rebounds, as the Lakers secured a 135-123 win to take their first lead of the series.
Dallas’ Luka Doncic had a game-high 35 points, but the Mavericks fell behind early and struggled to recover. The Lakers opened the game with a 17-0 run, fueled by LeBron James (23 points, 3 assists) and Maxi Kleber (17 points).
Despite a fourth-quarter push from the Mavericks, Jaxson Hayes scored ten points in a two-minute span to put the game away.
Lakers 135 - Mavericks 123
(LAL 3-2)
GAME SIX
Facing elimination, Dallas’ Luka Doncic delivered when it mattered most, dropping 34 points and 8 assists to lead the Mavericks to a 120-116 victory, forcing a decisive Game 7.
The Lakers’ Luka Doncic countered with 39 points, shooting an impressive 62% (15-24 FG), but Los Angeles couldn't hold onto a 16-point lead as Dallas stormed back in the fourth quarter.
Luka’s basket with 31 seconds left put Dallas ahead for this first time since the first quarter. A missed basket and Dallas rebound sealed the W.
Mavericks 120 - Lakers 116
(Tied 3-3)
GAME SEVEN
In an epic Game 7 showdown, Lakers’ Luka Doncic delivered a clutch triple-double (32 points, 19 assists, 14 rebounds) to lift Los Angeles to a 121-118 victory over his former team.
The Lakers led by 25 points in the third quarter, but the Mavericks stormed back with a 14-0 run, eventually cutting the lead to just one late in the fourth. However, Lakers’ Luka sealed the game with two free throws in the final seconds.
The Mavericks’ Luka Doncic finished with 22 points and 18 assists, but Dallas' slow first half (17 second-quarter points) proved costly. Kyrie Irving (15 points), Klay Thompson (17 points), and Spencer Dinwiddie (15 points) provided support, but they couldn’t complete the comeback.
Lakers 121 - Mavericks 118
(LAL 4-3 – Lakers Win)
Series MVP: Luka Doncic (LAL)
Averaging 30 PPG, 12.3 APG, and 9 RPG, the post-trade Luka Doncic led the Lakers back from a 3-1 deficit to take the series in 7. Pre-trade Luka averaged 32.9 / 10.4 / 7.0 for the Mavericks.