Mavericks-Lakers rivalry suddenly intensifies as NBA pulls out suspicious tactic

The biggest story of the NBA within the last year is undoubtedly the Dallas Mavericks' decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, and fans are going to get plenty more of this newfound rivalry as the NBA Cup groups were released today, and the Mavs and Lakers are together in Group B.

This means that Dallas will battle Los Angeles in a high-stakes group play game at some point during the beginning of the regular season (likely during November), and the Mavs are set to be on the road for this game.

Ever since Doncic was traded to the Lakers, the NBA has done whatever it can to push this storyline, and NBA fans are a bit skeptical about how these groups get decided, as it seems like it was written in the stars before they were even selected that Dallas and Los Angeles would somehow be in the same group despite it being "random."

NBA Cup draw raises questions as Mavericks end up with Lakers

Other teams in Group B include the LA Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, and New Orleans Pelicans, but all eyes will be on the game between the Mavs and Lakers at Crypto.com Arena whenever that may be.

The Lakers and Mavericks somehow both landing in Group B of this year's NBA Cup isn't the only spot where Dallas and Los Angeles will be battling each other in a marquee matchup, as they are also set to play tomorrow night in the most highly anticipated game of NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. This game will be Cooper Flagg's Summer League and Mavericks debut, and after Summer League ends next week, one of the next times that Flagg puts on a Mavericks jersey, he'll be playing the Lakers again.

On October 15, Dallas and Los Angeles are set to square off in a preseason matchup in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena. Las Vegas is filled with Lakers fans, so that game, being so early in Flagg's career, is likely going to sell out the arena and get fans excited for the regular season. While it remains unknown if Doncic will even play in that game, it's clear that the NBA is doing whatever it can to push the Mavs' rivalry with the Lakers, and that is poised to continue throughout the regular season.

After the Mavs traded him, Doncic is 2-0 against Dallas as a Laker, with his homecoming game to the American Airlines Center being the most notable. Doncic dropped 45 points in that game, and it was one of the most unique Mavericks home games ever, as the cheers for Doncic's scores were louder than the Mavericks' scores.

The arena was flooded with Lakers fans, but at the end of the day, every fan in that arena was a fan of Doncic. Mavericks fans didn't even seem to care that the Lakers won that game 112-97. They just wanted to see Doncic succeed.

Before the game, the Mavericks played a beautiful tribute video for Doncic that highlighted all of the best moments from his six and a half years in Dallas, and it moved Doncic so much that he was crying as he watched it on the jumbotron.

JJ Redick commended Doncic after the game for being able to go through all of those emotions pregame to then dominate just a few minutes later, and Mavericks and Lakers fans are bound to see plenty more memorable moments between these two teams next season.

With Flagg now joining the mix, Dallas will likely be under the spotlight all season long, and the lights will only get brighter in their games against the Lakers.

Fans from both sides thought that Dallas and Los Angeles both landing in Group B of the NBA Cup was fishy, but they need to get used to it, as there may be plenty more from where that came from when it comes to these two teams playing one another in important games.