WATCH: Loud ‘MVP’ chants reverberate the Barclays Center for Luka Doncic towards the end of Nets-Mavs game

Luka Doncic is the NBA's second-leading scorer this season, and a favorite for the MVP award.

WATCH: Loud ‘MVP’ chants reverberate the Barclays Center for Luka Doncic towards the end of Nets-Mavs game

Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic (via Open Source/X)

Luka Doncic showcased his usual brilliance, guiding the Dallas Mavericks to a victory on the road against the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center in New York. Nearly securing a triple-double in the 119-107 triumph, he finished the game with an impressive 35 points, 18 rebounds, and 9 assists.

Throughout the game, a recurring scene unfolded at the Barclays Center: a significant portion of the home team crowd passionately cheering for the opposing side, a trend becoming increasingly familiar. This time, their admiration was directed towards Luka Doncic. As Doncic sealed the Mavericks’ commanding victory from the free-throw line with less than a minute remaining in the fourth quarter, resounding chants of “M-V-P! M-V-P!” echoed throughout the Brooklyn bleachers.

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It’s no surprise to see the Nets’ crowd rallying behind opposing teams. Brooklyn’s home-court advantage, particularly during the regular season, is virtually non-existent, with a considerable portion of the Barclays audience often cheering against the Nets. This was glaringly evident during Brooklyn’s defeat to the cross-river New York Knicks on January 24th, prompting comparisons of the arena’s atmosphere to that of an away game by Nets player Mikal Bridges.

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You could hear it in the crowd. It felt like an away game when they made their run. It’s not fun when you feel like you’re in an away game at home. That’s for probably any person sitting in here, any person alive.

Bridges can’t argue against the sentiment. On Tuesday, Doncic showcased absolute dominance, teaming up with Kyrie Irving to score a combined 71 points. It was during Irving’s highly anticipated return to the Barclays Center since his trade to Dallas a year ago. Doncic shot 13 for 27 (48%) from the field and 4 for 11 (36.4%) from beyond the arc.

Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving dazzle in Dallas Mavericks’ win against the Brooklyn Nets

Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic’s exceptional performances proved pivotal, with their combined 71 points on 28-of-51 shooting setting the tone. Irving wasted no time making his mark in his return to Brooklyn, delivering a game-high 36 points to propel the Dallas Mavericks to a 119-107 victory. Exactly one year after the Nets fulfilled his trade request, sending him to Dallas in a blockbuster deal, Irving showcased his prowess by shooting 15-of-24 from the field and sinking 6-of-10 three-pointers.

Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving
Luka Doncic (Left) and Kyrie Irving (Right) (via Open Source/X)

Adding to his impressive performance, Irving notched 21 points in the first half and capped it off with a highlight-reel alley-oop slam in the second. With the win, Irving and the Mavericks improved to a 28-23 record, securing the eighth spot in the competitive Western Conference standings.

Following the game, he was questioned about whether he believed there were any actions he could have taken differently during his tumultuous tenure alongside Kevin Durant and James Harden in Brooklyn, prior to his eventual trade to the Mavericks. He said:

It was time to get my own peace of mind & go somewhere where I was able to thrive & be in a situation where I didn't have to worry about behind-the-back talk, media talk or not knowing how to handle real-life circumstances that have nothing to do with basketball.

Next up, the Dallas Mavericks will remain in town to take on the New York Knicks on Thursday evening. They will hope that Irving is able to continue his form.

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