- Doncic began his professional basketball career in Spain with Pérez’s Real Madrid
- The couple shared a warm hug as Perez attended his final game on Friday.
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Luka Doncic was greeted by an old face as he took the court to prepare for his final outing with the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.
Before their NBA playoff game against the LA Clippers, the Mavs superstar shared a warm hug with Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, who headed to the American Airlines Center in Dallas to see his former basketball player in action.
Doncic, one of the biggest talents in today’s NBA, began his professional career in Spain with Pérez’s Real Madrid before leaving for the big leagues in 2018.
During his time in Madrid he rubbed shoulders with players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and earned the nickname ‘The Boy Wonder’, as a result of becoming the youngest winner of the EuroLeague MVP award last season.
Doncic is now considered one of the greatest European players of all time, and Perez was eager to see him in person once again.
Luka Doncic enjoyed a reunion with Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez on Friday night
Doncic spent his formative years plying his trade as a professional for Pérez’s Real Madrid in Spain.
The couple shared a warm hug on the court before the Mavs’ game against the Clippers.
Last October, the Slovenian point guard returned to Madrid for a preseason game against his former team, where he received an award from Pérez as an honorary member of the club and received a standing ovation.
After their brief reunion on the court before the game, Doncic scored 22 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in a 101-90 victory over Los Angeles that put his Dallas team ahead 2-1 in their five-game series. first round of the playoffs.
The Mavs used the same defense that gave them home field advantage with a Game 2 victory in Los Angeles, and won in Dallas three years after losing all three first-round games on their home court in a seven-game loss. against the Clippers. Game four is Sunday in Dallas.
An already testy game reached a boiling point midway through the fourth quarter Friday when Los Angeles’ Russell Westbrook threw at Doncic after fouling him.
Westbrook was assessed a technical for that contact and for shoving PJ Washington after Washington confronted him. Washington was also called for a technical during the sequence, and already had one from an earlier shoving match with Terance Mann.
Westbrook, who in the first half received a flagrant 1 foul for excessive contact for fouling Josh Green on a breakaway, and Washington were ejected.
Doncic began his professional career in Madrid before joining the NBA back in 2018.
Perez watched as the Slovenian point guard inspired Dallas to a 101-90 victory over Los Angeles.
Westbrook, who missed all seven shots and scored one point, drew the crowd’s ire on another occasion when he tackled Doncic after Zubac was called for a foul as the former was about to shoot. Officials reviewed the play but ruled his contact was incidental.
Doncic, who briefly left the court after limping off while clutching his right knee in the first quarter, was just 7 of 25 from the field and 3 of 13 from 3-point range.
But Dallas limited George and Westbrook to a combined 1 of 10 from deep, while Leonard didn’t even have a 3-point attempt on just seven shots.
