The first question for many NBA fans after the Dallas Mavericks shockingly traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 2 was simple: When do the Lakers next play in Dallas?

The answer: April 9, a nine-week wait for what ultimately would become one of the most anticipated regular-season games.

Sure, the Mavericks already had traveled to face Doncic and his new team on March 1, a 109-104 Lakers victory.

But Wednesday night's contest at American Airlines Center was the league's must-see event of the second half.

Doncic, the crowd in Dallas and both teams met the moment, and the Mavericks' former star reminded his former franchise why fans held protests, and even a symbolic funeral, after the trade.

Behind 45 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists, Doncic led the Lakers to a 112-97 win, clinching a playoff spot for Los Angeles in the process. Following an emotional pregame intro, Doncic poured in 31 first-half points as the crowd erupted with each touch.

From what the atmosphere was like inside the arena to what the Mavericks can do in the offseason and what this victory might mean for the Lakers' playoff chances, our ESPN insiders tackle the biggest questions from Doncic's first game back in Dallas.

1. The atmosphere in Dallas on Wednesday was _______

Emotional, electrifying and extremely awkward at times.

Tears flowed down Doncic's cheeks as the Mavericks' tribute video for him played before his turn in pregame introductions. He's still clearly getting over the heartbreak after suddenly being shipped away from the city he hoped would be his NBA home forever.

That was a sentiment shared by the vast majority of folks who filled American Airlines Center. That included Mavs legend Dirk Nowitzki, who attended his first Dallas home game since the Doncic trade. (The only other NBA game Nowitzki has watched in person since Feb. 1? His buddy Doncic's Lakers debut in Los Angeles.)

A small percentage of the fans wore the white giveaway T-shirts with "Hvala za vse" -- thanks for everything, in Slovenian -- printed on the front. Many more sported Doncic's No. 77 jerseys, from Mavs to Slovenia to Lakers editions. Others donned shirts expressing their frustration with Dallas general manager Nico Harrison, the man primarily responsible for Doncic's undesired departure.

"Fire Nico!" chants were frequent, beginning with the first dead ball four seconds after the opening tip as Harrison stood in a midcourt tunnel.

On the other hand, Doncic was showered with love and adoration as he lit up the franchise he hoped he'd belong to forever. -- Tim MacMahon

2. The biggest lesson to take away from this game is ____

It is counterintuitive, but this was the night when Doncic became a Laker. His team totally was devoted to uplifting him and protecting him and rallying around him. It was not a hostile environment, obviously, and that made it feel different than other players in "return" games. But that didn't mean Doncic wasn't vulnerable. It was the most vulnerable he has ever been in his basketball career, and he knew it. He knew it in the same way he knew to ask for a towel when the pre-tipoff video started playing because he knew how he would respond to it. And the Lakers collectively experienced a performance that absolutely elevated their bond as a team.

Doncic is still going to have a temper; he's still going to curse out referees and fans. But his connection with his team is what changed Wednesday night. He felt it, too, when he told ESPN's Lisa Salters on the floor after the game, "It's time to move on."

The Lakers still have roster challenges, though once again, JJ Redick had a swarming game plan aimed at crowding Anthony Davis and ignoring less feared players on the perimeter that helped cover up L.A.'s size issues. And just because the Lakers had this memorable evening, doesn't mean they're headed for a storybook ending.

But it was potentially a foundational moment to build from, one that could be remembered as a crucial building block to bigger moments in the Lakers' future. -- Brian Windhorst

3. Luka's performance in Dallas was _____

Everything we could have hoped. Capturing the moment, Doncic shifted quickly from shedding tears to raining 3s. He had three makes from beyond the arc in each of the first two quarters en route to 31 points, his most in a half with the Lakers.

Doncic's scoring pace predictably slowed after halftime. That showcased the value of his partnership with LeBron James, who tallied 14 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter as the Lakers opened up a double-digit lead. Down the stretch, Doncic took over again, scoring seven consecutive points for L.A. starting at the 3:30 mark, before leaving to a standing ovation with 45 points.

Doncic needed just 28 shot attempts, plus nine foul shots, to get there. Add in 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals and Doncic's 48.1 game score was his second highest this season, per Basketball-Reference.com.

Mavericks fans have witnessed so many of these incandescent performances from Doncic, making it bittersweet to see one in his return. Per ESPN Research, Doncic joined Wilt Chamberlain (1964-65 campaign) as just the second player in NBA history to score at least 45 points both for and against the same team in the same season. -- Kevin Pelton

4. The biggest offseason priorities for Dallas are ____

Getting back a healthy Kyrie Irving, using their lottery pick and, once again, exploring trades. Other than the veterans minimum exception, Dallas does not have money to spend in free agency. What it does have is three first-round picks and 12 players earning between $2 million and $16 million available to trade.

Is that enough to potentially bring in Kevin Durant to team up with Irving and Anthony Davis? Because the Mavs are projected to be a first apron team, they would need to trade at least four players and still remain below the apron -- a tall task considering Irving, Durant and Davis would earn a combined $150 million.

But Nico Harrison has a track record of big moves; the roster that finishes the 2025-26 season could look very different than the one in October. Since taking over basketball operations in June 2021, Harrison has made 16 trades and has continually searched for the right combination of players to win a championship. The lone players remaining from the Mavs' 2022 Western Conference finals team are Dwight Powell and Spencer Dinwiddie. -- Bobby Marks

A wonder goal from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia upstaged a brilliant curling shot from teammate Désiré Doué as Paris Saint-Germain beat Aston Villa 3-1 in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday.

The pair of sumptuous strikes left PSG coach Luis Enrique raving about both players after a game in which his team took a major step toward the semifinals.

Between Doué's goal and his teammates, there was no doubt, however, that Kvaratskhelia's was the best of the night.

"For a coach like me it's so great to have a player like [Kvaratskhelia], with his mentality. He scored a brilliant goal," Luis Enrique said about Kvaratskhelia. "We tried to sign him last summer and it didn't work out.

"We signed him [in January] when we didn't really expect to. He's got everything to be part of our project."

Kvaratskhelia sprinted down the left from just over the halfway line and then mesmerized Villa's defense in a blizzard of quick feet and superb balance.

Advancing at pace with the ball seemingly glued to his right foot, he then wrong-footed defender Axel Disasi with a sudden change of direction, before rolling the ball onto his left foot in one smooth motion and blasting an unstoppable shot over the head of Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.

After Morgan Rogers gave Villa the lead in the 35th minute, the 19-year-old Doué drew PSG level four minutes later with the 12th goal of his breakthrough season.

Kvaratskhelia put PSG in front four minutes after the break and left back Nuno Mendes added a third goal in stoppage time with a fine finish of his own.

"I think the result reflects the difference between us and them," said PSG coach Luis Enrique, whose side has greater firepower and showed more of a threat going forward. "Our objective is to keep the ball and be aggressive in attack."

The return leg is next Tuesday at Villa Park.

Kvaratskhelia's goal was exactly the kind of effort that earned the flying Georgia winger the nickname "Kvaradona" when he was playing for Napoli, in reference to soccer maestro Diego Maradona -- the Italian club's greatest ever player -- and prompted PSG coach Luis Enrique to spend 70 million (then $72 million) on him in the winter transfer window.

Shortly after Kvaratskhelia's goal, Martínez made a great save low to his right against Achraf Hakimi's powerful shot as PSG poured forward looking for a third goal.

Villa was at this stage of the competition for the first time since 1983 and dealt well with early pressure before taking the lead with a well-worked goal.

Bustling captain John McGinn won the ball in midfield and advanced before picking out Marcus Rashford, the forward who scored a stoppage-time winner here for Manchester United six years ago. Rashford fed Youri Tielemans overlapping down the left and he pinged a cross to the back post where Rogers was left unmarked to tap in.

The lead was brief as Doué picked up the ball on the left of the penalty area, skipped past two players and curled the ball into the top right corner.

"He's got everything he needs to become a great player," Luis Enrique said of Doué. "He really doesn't need much space to dribble."

Martínez played long balls early on to test PSG's defense, but he was soon called into action with a flying save from Ousmane Dembélé's angled strike in the eighth minute.

He couldn't do much about the goals that beat him, however, with Nuno Mendes showing a forward's touch when he latched onto Dembélé's pass, cut inside a defender and deftly guided the ball in.

"We've watched their last few games and know how deadly and sharp they've been," Rogers said. "They've put the world on notice now."

But Villa coach Unai Emery believes he can still eliminate the club he coached from 2016-18.

"I believe we will win next week," Emery said. "Villa Park is our home."

Raphinha apologized to Pau Cubarsí for stealing his goal after opening the scoring in Barcelona's 4-0 Champions League quarterfinal rout against Borussia Dortmund at the Olympic Stadium on Wednesday.

Robert Lewandowski also scored twice and Lamine Yamal added the fourth to leave Barça in a commanding position going into next week's second leg in Germany.

Raphinha netted the first goal of the game, sliding in to push Cubarsí's shot, which was almost over the line anyway, into the back of the net in the 25th minute.

But the Brazilian faced a nervous wait as VAR reviewed whether he was onside when defender Cubarsí prodded the ball toward the goal after latching on to Iñigo Martínez's knockdown.

"I was worried on the first goal if I was offside, it's good that it was given," Raphinha told reporters. "I apologized to Cubarsí. He told me no worries, he'd count it as an assist. I thought the ball was going wide; it was an instinctive decision."

It was Raphinha's 12th goal in the Champions League this season -- more than any other player in the competition -- and he also set up goals for Lewandowski and Yamal to push his assist tally to seven.

In total, he has 19 goal contributions in the tournament for Barça this season, matching Lionel Messi's best return for the club in a single European campaign.

"I love playing with top-level players," Raphinha added of his incredible form. "We know each other really well on the pitch and that is important. We're achieving spectacular numbers and we hope we keep going like this."

It was the 21st time in 48 matches this season that Barça have scored four goals or more. Lewandowski now has 40 goals in all competitions this term -- and 99 for Barça -- while Yamal has netted 14.

The win over Dortmund leaves Barça on the verge of a first semifinal since 2019, against either Bayern Munich or Inter Milan, although coach Hansi Flick warned against thinking the tie is already over ahead of the return game next Tuesday.

"It's still not won," Flick said in a news conference. "You never know what can happen in football. It can be a crazy sport.

"We have to play like we played today, do what we know. But first we turn our attention to Leganés on Saturday. Then we will speak about Dortmund.

"We also have a good position in LaLiga [four points clear with eight games to go] and we want to defend it. So we want to beat Leganés. That's the focus now."

Dortmund had chances to make the game closer going into the second leg. Serhou Guirassy missed a hat trick of chances before halftime and Wojciech Szczęsny was forced into a couple of late saves.

Coach Niko Kovač had no complaints about the scoreline, though, and acknowledged his side's European campaign is probably over.

"We were deserved losers today," he said in a news conference. "At this level we made too many errors which Barça took advantage of with their quality. What annoys me is we invited them to counterattack by losing the ball. It's going to be really difficult in the second leg, as you know.

"I am always optimistic but I am also realistic. It's a heavy loss. Our chances of getting through are small. We will analyze what happened, try and play a good game against Bayern Munich [in the Bundesliga] this weekend and then focus on the second leg.

"We know it will be really difficult, but we have to maintain a glimmer of hope. Without that glimmer, it would be impossible."

: Protagonist' Messi set for key role as Inter Miami face LAFC

VIDEO SHOWS: INTER MIAMI PLAYERS TRAINING/ LIONEL MESSI TRAINING/ FORMER SOCCER PLAYER AND PRESIDENT AND CO-OWNER OF INTER MIAMI, DAVID BECKHAM HANGING OUT AROUND TRAINING FACILITY/ PRESS CONFERENCE WITH INTER MIAMI COACH JAVIER MASCHERANO AND...

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Justin Fields will be the New York Jets' eighth different Week 1 quarterback in the past 14 years.

Yes, he's walking into a tough job. Then again, the one he left was no picnic.

"It was, of course, different for me and a space where I wasn't necessarily comfortable," Fields said Wednesday in his first media availability since signing a two-year, $40 million contract last month as a free agent.

He helped the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 4-2 start last season, but he was benched for the first time in his life when Russell Wilson was deemed healthy after a calf injury. Fields never got another shot, even when the offense cratered late in the season.

Instead of looking back with bitterness, Fields said he believes the experience will make him a better quarterback for the Jets. He replaces future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, who was released after an uneven season.

"Coach [Mike] Tomlin made a decision he thought was best for the team, and I'm never going to go against that," Fields said, reflecting on the benching. "I'm not a selfish guy whatsoever, so I just tried to change my perspective, get better each and every day in practice."

He was a backup for the past 11 games, plus a playoff game, leaving him in "a place where I wasn't, really, never in ... in my entire life," he said. The Steelers tried to re-sign Fields, but the Jets came in strong with a $30 million guarantee and an opportunity to establish himself as their long-term answer.

Fields insisted the benching had no bearing on his decision to leave the Steelers.

"You can't take things personal," he said. "That's one thing I've learned over the years, not to take anything personal. At the end of the day, I was just excited of what the Jets had going on here with AG [Aaron Glenn] and just with the coaching staff, so it didn't really have anything to do with Pittsburgh."

This is Fields' third NFL stop. He was the Chicago Bears' first-round pick in 2021, then was replaced by 2024 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. He was traded to Pittsburgh, where he threw five touchdowns, ran for another five and posted a career-high 66% completion rate after three spotty years in Chicago.

"I think I'm progressing and getting better each and every year, and I'm excited to get things rolling this year," Fields said.

The Jets appear to be in all-in on Fields, 26, with Glenn saying that the former Ohio State quarterback still hasn't reached his ceiling.

"I think he's a dynamic player, and I think there's more we can get out of that player," Glenn said at the recent owners meetings. "I'm looking forward to that."

Glenn wasn't being critical of the Steelers and Bears, but he suggested that Fields can do more as a dropback passer. His running ability is well-documented; he averages 50 rushing yards per game.

"I think I did what I was asked to do and I've never had a problem with that," said Fields, looking back on his time in Chicago and Pittsburgh. "I've always been a team player."

Wasting no time, Glenn already has named Fields the starting quarterback, with Tyrod Taylor remaining in the backup role. Glenn did it, in part, to give Fields the chance to establish himself as a team leader.

They're only three days into the offseason program, but Fields already has made a good impression.

"I think he's the right man for the job," said newly signed cornerback Brandon Stephens, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens. "I think he has what it takes to lead this offense, to lead this team. I think the sky's the limit."

Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk will be reevaluated in two weeks because of a left calf strain, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.

This timetable sidelines Monk, who is averaging a career-high 17.2 points, for the remaining three games of the regular season, including Wednesday's matchup with the Denver Nuggets, as well as postseason games in the NBA's play-in tournament.

Monk sustained the injury late in the first quarter of Monday's win over the Pistons in Detroit, a game the shorthanded Kings entered without forwards Keegan Murray (back) and Jake LaRavia (thumb).

The Kings, who already clinched a play-in berth, are currently in ninth place in the Western Conference standings, holding a one-game lead over the Dallas Mavericks.

Sacramento hosts the LA Clippers on Friday and the Phoenix Suns on Sunday to close out the regular season.

TORONTO -- Raptors forward Brandon Ingram has been shut down for the rest of the season after receiving an injection in his injured left ankle, coach Darko Rajakovic said Wednesday.

Ingram has been sidelined since early December because of a sprained left ankle. He has not played for the Raptors since being acquired from New Orleans on Feb. 6. He signed a three-year, $120-million contract extension with Toronto on Feb. 11.

Toronto hosted Charlotte in its home finale Wednesday. The Raptors have two games left.

Rajakovic said Ingram visited a specialist in New York City last week, when the Raptors were facing the Brooklyn Nets. Ingram received a platelet-rich plasma injection Tuesday, his coach said.

"It's what he needs," Rajakovic said. "He's been recovering really well."

Rajakovic said Ingram was expected to be healthy in time for Toronto's summer training program.

The No. 2 pick in the 2016 draft, Ingram averaged 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 18 games this season.

Ingram sat on the bench Wednesday wearing a University of Houston Cougars basketball jersey with his teammate Jamal Shead's name and No. 1 on the back. Ingram, who played one season at Duke, had to wear the jersey after losing a wager when the Cougars rallied to beat the Blue Devils last Saturday in a national semifinal game.

Shead played for Houston from 2020 to 2024.

CLEVELAND -- Chicago White Sox catcher Korey Lee had to be helped off the field after he rolled his left ankle during the sixth inning of Wednesday night's 3-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians.

The White Sox said Lee was ruled out with left ankle soreness and will undergo further testing.

Lee was trying to get back to first base after pinch hitter Nick Maton struck out when he stepped awkwardly on the first-base bag on catcher Austin Hedges pickoff throw. Lee got back in time but was tagged out by Cleveland's Carlos Santana after he rolled off the bag for the third out of the inning.

Lee was helped off the field by the training staff and was replaced by Matt Thaiss, finishing 0 for 2 on the night with a walk and a strikeout. He's now batting .333 (5 for 15) on the season.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on Wednesday said it was a "big relief" that he and the Toronto Blue Jays were finally able to finalize a long-term deal.

"If I tell you that it's not a big relief, I'd be lying to you," Guerrero said Wednesday. "It's always been my goal to be here. And I feel like I accomplished that, and I'm very, very happy to stay here and to be a Blue Jay."

The 14-year, $500 million contract, which starts in 2026, includes a record $325 million signing bonus that protects the money from a possible work stoppage in 2027.

The deal was officially announced Wednesday, and a news conference is scheduled for Monday at the Rogers Centre.

Guerrero agreed in January to a $28.5 million, one-year contract that avoided arbitration, and the four-time All-Star first baseman had said he wouldn't negotiate after he reported to spring training in mid-February. Still, talks with his agent continued well into the regular season.

"It wasn't that hard," Guerrero said of the time that it took to get the deal done. "Like, I would say maybe, I was just trusting the process, every step with my family, my agents, my close ones. I mean, have faith, everything, the outcome was going to be good. So, I mean, trust, I was trusting everything. But thank God, it went well."

He got the third-largest contract in total dollars behind outfielder Juan Soto's $765 million, 15-year contract with the New York Mets that started this season and two-way star Shohei Ohtani's $700 million, 10-year agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers that began last year and is heavily deferred.

Guerrero's $35.71 million average annual value under the new deal ranks eighth among current contracts.

"I've never seen an organization that's a class organization as a family," Guerrero said. "It's been 10, 11 years that we've been here. I mean, like I say, this is family for me -- the team, the city, the fans, it's family. To tell you the truth, I wasn't really feeling to go elsewhere and meet new people."

He said his own family played a role in his decision.

"That's one of the hardest ones right there -- when your daughter comes to you and asks you 'Daddy, are we going to stay in Toronto?'" Guerrero said. "Knowing that your family really wants to stay in Toronto, that was [the main one]. But all along they really wanted to stay in Toronto and thank God it happened."

A son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, the Blue Jays star would have been a free agent this fall at a relatively young age. The elder Guerrero shared some advice with his son: "To trust God. My dad told me to trust God and to try to get the last penny that I could from the organization."

The younger Guerrero is a .287 career hitter with 160 homers and 511 RBIs. He is batting .255 with no homers and four RBIs in the first 12 games this season.

"Just so powerful for the organization," Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said. "I think it's monumental for Toronto and the game. A historic deal for what will be a historic player. I think he's just getting started. He's already done tremendous things thus far as an individual, and with this team. He's going to continue to do those things."

Seeking its first World Series title since winning championships in 1992 and 1993, Toronto notably failed to land Ohtani, Soto and Roki Sasaki. The Blue Jays agreed to a $92.5 million, five-year contract with outfielder Anthony Santander; a $15.5 million, one-year contract with right-hander Max Scherzer; and a $33 million, three-year contract with reliever Jeff Hoffman.

"This is a monumental moment in franchise history," Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro said in a statement. "Vlad has been part of our Blue Jays family since he was 16 years old and has captured the heart of our city and country.

"There are very few in the game today that can say they have played for more than two decades with the same team, and we are immensely grateful Blue Jays fans will get to see Vlad finish his career where it all began. The name Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will forever be synonymous with the Toronto Blue Jays."

Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette, a two-time All-Star, remains eligible for free agency after this year's World Series.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.