On Tuesday night, the Mavericks traveled to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers in the first game between Luka Doncic and his former team, a storyline that captivated enough viewers – 2.5 million average viewers, to be exact – to be the most-watched NBA game this season (other than opening night). As one of the most hyped games of the year, TNT knew they had a big matchup on their hands, and clearly, fans felt the same way, obvious in their viewership.

In addition to the TNT numbers, the game also set records for Max, where it was the most-watched NBA regular season telecast of all time for the streaming service. The game, which the Lakers won 107-99, featured fantastic performances from Luka Doncic (19 points, 15 rebounds, 12 assists), LeBron James (27 points, 12 rebounds), Kyrie Irving (35 points, seven rebounds, four assists), and Klay Thompson (22 points, eight rebounds). The NBA could not have been happier with the result: an entertaining, back-and-forth game full of drama.

READ MORE: Luka Doncic reveals experience with Mavs’ Nico Harrison at Lakers’ recent game

It was clearly an emotional game for Doncic. He struggled a bit with his shot, finishing just 6-for-17, but his playmaking ability and prowess on the glass helped him to will the Lakers to victory alongside LeBron James’ 16 fourth-quarter points. The Mavericks veterans played well enough to keep them in the game, but in the end, it wasn’t enough to take down a Lakers team that had too much firepower for the Mavericks to handle.

The Mavericks are back in action at home against the Hornets on February 27.

READ MORE: LeBron James praises Luka Doncic for handling of Lakers-Mavericks game

Stick with MavericksGameday for more FREE coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the 2024-25 Season

Follow MavericksGameday on Twitter and Keenan Womack on Twitter.