Look, exes are inevitable. Folks flow in and out of relationships. Sometimes a breakup reflects growth, and sometimes it tinges with sadness. We all dread a version of the same shared nightmare — looking less than our best as we run into that ex out in public. Just remember, it could always be worse.

The Dallas Mavericks get to take that feeling to a new level on national television, hosting Luka Dončić for the first time since February’s gravity-warping megatrade with the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s a wild game overall, as LeBron James and Anthony Davis play after their sudden split, and Dončić goes revenge mode against the team he just led to the Finals.

How to watch Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks

The Dončić-Davis deal was a reality-shatterer, a “where were you when” moment in line with LeBron to Miami and Kevin Durant to Golden State. At least those other moments were teased out for weeks and had full reporting cycles around them. February’s fever dream seemingly came out of nowhere. Now, both sides of the trade have sincere motivation here.

From 2018-25, Dončić averaged north of a 28/8/8 line, scooping five First-Team All-NBA honors before his age-25 season. He willed the Mavs to last year’s Finals. The reel of playoff triumphs is already so long, it may as well be done by Andrei Tarkovsky. There was the double-bang bubble buzzer-beater delivered to the Clippers, the smirking, soul-deflating chaos put upon the Suns, the home-court heroics in Game 2 of the conference finals versus the Timberwolves. And then … the sudden relocation, swapped for a player six years older than him. The new Laker will all but certainly try to show out in Dallas.

Davis was a contemporary legend in his city, too. LA emptied its reserves to acquire him from New Orleans in 2019, instantly giving James his best pick-and-roll partner ever. Across six subsequent years in purple and gold: gaudy averages around 25/11/3 with 3.4 stocks (steals plus blocks), two All-NBA looks and transcendent play during the 2020 championship effort.

Now, he looks over as the Lakers compete for a top playoff seed, and his injury-stricken Mavericks are slated for the West’s lowest play-in spot. Los Angeles’ home crowds are galvanized and emboldened; Dallas’ have been frustrated and touchy if not straight-up in mourning. Wednesday night gives us a grudge match worth watching, and a sliding-doors moment to bask in and nerd out.

Starting five of players to wear both jerseys (min. 50 games with each franchise):

• Steve Nash
• Nick Van Exel
• Adrian Dantley
• Sam Perkins
• A.C. Green

Bench mob includes Lamar Odom, Cedric Ceballos, Caron Butler and JaVale McGee.

Streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

(Photo of Luka Dončić: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)