Kyrie Irving: 'Awkward as S--t' to Play vs. Luka Doncic After Lakers-Mavs Trade

After the Dallas Mavericks faced off against star guard Luka Dončić for the first time since trading him to the Los Angeles Lakers in a 107-99 loss on Tuesday, the players are still getting used to seeing their former teammate on the opposing side.

Mavs point guard Kyrie Irving called the matchup against Dončić "awkward as s--t," per ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

"But," Irving added, "at the same time, it was fun. We got a chance to feel like we were in practice all over again going at each other. That was a good reflection point. And then just seeing the crowd cheer for him and just get him going … it was fun competing."

Irving also revealed to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne that he has stayed in touch with Dončić following the trade earlier this month and has continued checking in on his emotional state following such a drastic move.

"I don't think he expected the change and I think that's probably what leads to him feeling his emotions even more so in a deeper way," Irving said. "Rejection, I think that's a strong word … but sometimes it can feel like that. You got to go through your process of grieving. Grieving … is not a word we use in NBA circles -- it's like, 'Just be tough, bro.' Everybody expects you to turn over the next page and get over it. The reality is, man, we're human too."

Irving led all scorers with 35 points in Tuesday's game, but it wasn't enough to overcome a spirited performance by Dončić, who produced his first triple-double in a Lakers uniform with 19 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists to help spearhead Los Angeles' third straight win.

Dončić admitted after the victory that there were a lot of emotions heading into the game and he was relieved to put it behind him.

"It definitely will help me," he said of getting through Tuesday's game. "It's definitely going to help in the long [run]."

Despite the awkwardness, the 25-year-old still has a lot of love for his old teammates. Dončić called Irving his "hermano" and said their relationship goes "way beyond basketball."

The Lakers and Mavs will meet one more time this season in Dallas on April 9, giving Dončić another chance to stick it to his former team.