Lakers’ Luka Dončić shows his MVP qualities against the Mavericks in the first meeting with Cooper Flagg

LOS ANGELES — In a sweeping move, Luka Dončić threw his former team’s defensive coverage into disarray, leaving him face-to-face with Cooper Flagg as the Mavericks rookie came into the spotlight following Dončic’s emotional departure from Dallas nine months ago.

Dončić swung his arms and shifted his body to his right – the side Flagg was desperately trying to protect – and charged towards the rim. With the Mavericks defense’s hopes of help eliminated, Dončić was presented with a present – ​​and he opened it with the sincerity of a wide-eyed child on Christmas Day.

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In reality, Dončić’s basket was a silent response to Flagg’s mid-range shot over him a few possessions earlier. Lost amid the high stakes of Friday’s NBA Cup group stage final — the Lakers had already punched their ticket to the knockout stage while the Mavericks had reached their limit — was the first meeting between Dončić and Flagg, and the first meeting between the Lakers and Mavericks since Nico Harrison’s firing earlier this month.

The intertwining of the DNA between the two franchises is undeniable, stronger than a meeting at the end of November. Players and coaches have changed teams over the years. And there were a few more underlying storylines at the Crypto.com Arena on Friday night; a story of two franchises going in opposite directions, the juxtaposition of a team with an array of multi-faceted creators and a team still searching for stability, and Anthony Davis’ first matchup against the Lakers since being traded.

But the Dončić-Flagg affair was the most important issue on the agenda.

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And to be fair, Flagg didn’t shy away from the moment. On multiple occasions, his aggression and versatility were on display, whether it was team-for-team with Dončić, intervening LeBron James-style to send the 40-year-old to the floor on a transition save, or trying to make the right reads.

“I think he’s a good player,” Dončić said. “Obviously the first pick comes with a lot of pressure. He’s got a lot on his shoulders. But I think he’ll be a great player.”

Flagg finished with 13 points, 11 assists, 7 rebounds and 3 steals, but ultimately proved no match for Dončić, who finished with 35 points, 11 assists and 5 rebounds on 10-of-18 shooting in a 129–119 victory.

Such is life these days in the city of angels. The Lakers have historically been a one-name city. Magic. Shaq. Kobe. Kareem. LeBron.

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Now, Luke. This is his team, his city.

When Dončić comes out of the tunnel to take the floor for the pre-match warm-up, the entire arena is filled with praise. During player introductions, his name is called last, a privilege usually reserved for the game’s most important players. When he touches the ball, he’s greeted with a series of defensive coverages: blitzes to get the ball out of his hands, early and late rotations, traps, zone, and everything thrown at him except the kitchen sink.

There aren’t many NBA players who could reduce James, arguably one of the top two players of all time, to a weak-side cutter and playmaker. But that’s the wonder of Dončić, leading the way for a red-hot Lakers team that has won six straight and sits in second place in the Western Conference behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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Dončić entered Friday’s game averaging 38.5 points, 9.3 assists and 8.5 rebounds per game, despite a usage rate that has skyrocketed to a career-high 44.9% since James’ return. The fact that Dončić is producing on his own while remaining a central figure for his teammates – assisting on nearly 42 percent of their shots, per Cleaning the Glass – is nothing short of MVP status. The presence of Deandre Ayton, a mobile, two-way talent, allowed Dončić to lean fully into his pick-and-roll offense as well.

On Friday, the Lakers finished the game shooting nearly 60% from the field and dishing out 27 total assists.

“In the last two games we made our shots,” Dončić said. “When we share the ball and play like we need to, we get a lot of good shots and that’s what we need to do.”

It’s Dončić’s gravitas that creates space for the rapid rise of Austin Reaves, who finished with an efficient 38 points and appears to be an excellent release valve and offensive engine in his own right. It’s the fear of Dončić’s pick-and-roll dominance that has given way to Ayton’s resurgence as a screener and finisher. It’s the confidence in Dončić as the primary option that allows James to fill gaps as a sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famer, finding optimal throw angles and becoming connective tissue. Coach JJ Redick preached about the importance of the project, but Dončić AND the system.

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“I think he’s done a good job all year finding his balance, both on and off the ball, looking for 3s and hitting the paint,” Redick said. “When he’s in that mode, he’s really hard to defend. He’s really in tune with that balance, especially late in the game.”

However, the Lakers will tell you that they are far from a finished product. First, Redick is still experimenting with his Big 3 to find the best use and synergy. Before Friday’s win, the Lakers had somehow been outscored by 18 points in the 55 minutes Dončić, James and Reaves shared the court. Last season, that trio barely registered as net positives.

Simple readings involving high-level thinkers, such as the opening possession of the game, are a good place to start. When the Mavericks immediately doubled Dončić, he sent an over-the-top pass to James, who found Reaves on the wing for an open 3. Given that the Lakers are just 26th in attempts and making 3s (and 21st in 3-point percentage), opening up more looks resulting from Dončić, James, or Reaves under pressure should lead to good processes.

“We play four against three, this is the simplest basketball we can play,” Dončić added. “I always accept it.”

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The Lakers led by Dončić now own the fifth-ranked offense in the NBA. And Dončić has proven himself worthy of a team and system built in his image. As long as it continues down this path — and Reaves and James maximize their opportunities — there’s no reason why this Lakers team can’t be considered a legitimate threat to the Thunder and the rest of the Western Conference.