Luca’s return is critical, but Mavs also turns green after a big ride

SACREMENTO. When Luka Doncic spoke awkwardly to reporters after the game, he had a large bandage on his left ankle and an ice bag under his right heel.

And he couldn’t feel better.

Well, that’s not entirely true. A win would have made him happier, but Doncic had a smile on his face after the Mavericks’ 133-128 overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.

His first game with Kyrie Irving showed monstrous numbers and provided a tantalizing glimpse of what the future could be for this match made in heaven in the backcourt.

It will only take time.

“This guy is so much fun to play with,” Doncic said. “He is an amazing basketball player. It will take some time, but I learned that we are no longer beginners. He is an amazing basketball player. It will be a lot of fun.”

And what is the key to accelerating this dating process?

“Playing together, talking to each other, those two things are the most important,” he said.

His health is also important. His wheels have been in need of some maintenance lately after he suffered a bruised right heel on February 2nd. And his left foot/ankle is always a reminder to him that pain is part of his life.

But coming back after four games because of the heel was therapeutic in itself.

“I was tired after the first game,” he said. I mean overtime. Just very tired. But it was fun to be back there.”

Here are our other takeaways from Saturday and the Mavericks’ five-game trip.

FABULOUS TURN: A 10-day trip that started with such whining against Golden State led to three straight wins before they ended it with a loss on Saturday. But 3-2 on any trip is a success, and while 4-1 would have been better, a week ago it seemed like 1-4 was more likely. The Mavericks now have 12 away wins and 9 home losses, which is a good indication of their overall share in the Western Conference. There are two games left before the All-Star break. Monday’s home game against the Minnesota will not be easy considering it’s a 48-hour layover in Dallas before finishing in Denver before halftime.

GREEN WITH ENVY: Josh Green has had a hell of a trip. In five games, he averaged 19 points and 4.2 rebounds. And he’s thrown more than 50 percent in each of his last four games of the journey. On the trip, he scored 35 points out of 60 (58.3%). And the eye test was even better as he was aggressive in his moves towards the rim. And he showed that he could shoot three-point corners better than Dorian Finney-Smith. Green showed that he should at least stay in the starting lineup.

REAL KINGS? After 16 consecutive non-playoff seasons, the Sacramenot Kings have hope. On Saturday, De’Aaron Fox scored 36 points, 26 of which came in the fourth quarter and overtime. They remained third in the Western Conference. But coach Mike Brown said the Kings still have a lot to prove. “At about this time, and especially after (the break), this is where the real champions or teams that have a real hope of making the playoffs or fighting for the championship come to a new level,” Brown said. “That’s where, if you’re mentally tired, you don’t let it affect your game. The same is true if you are physically tired or hurt a little. If you think about these things, they can hinder you and hold you back. In many cases, this is what separates very good teams from normal or average teams. And it usually happens around this time.” The Mavericks must listen. And with Irving, they have someone who can deliver that message from a personal perspective. After all, he is a three-time NBA Finals player.

Twitter: @ESefko