LOS ANGELES — Dallas Mavericks big man Anthony Davis wasn’t available to play against the Lakers in his return to Los Angeles, sitting out on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena because of a strained left adductor (inner thigh).
But the Lakers still honored Davis with a 2½-minute tribute video on the scoreboard midway through the first quarter of Tuesday’s game – featuring highlights of the 10-time All-Star’s 5½ seasons in Los Angeles. Former teammate and good friend LeBron James was among the many to applaud Davis as the video ended and Davis received a warm ovation from the sold-out arena.
The Lakers honored Anthony Davis with a tribute video midway through the first quarter of their home game against the Mavericks:
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“I just miss being around him every day,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the game. “He’s a fantastic human being. Wonderful teammate. For a guy who is a superstar, who has been in the Olympics and won the Finals and All-NBA, probably had a decent amount of skepticism with a coach who has never coached before – a former podcaster, if you will. For him to just accept me and be open to a relationship and to coach him was bigtime. It speaks a lot to who he is as a person.
“And I certainly miss him as a player, but certain inside jokes we had – it’s just a pleasure to be around him.”
Davis, who turns 32 next month, was a member of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team, helped the Lakers win the NBA title in the bubble in 2020, and – like Luka Doncic, the player he was traded for in the shocking deal on Feb. 1 – is a five-time All-NBA selection.
He averaged 24.8 points and 11.0 rebounds per game with the Lakers and finished his purple-and-gold tenure with the one NBA championship, four All-Star selections (2020-21, 2024-25) and a pair of All-NBA honors (2020, ’24).
Tuesday was the first time the Lakers and Mavericks squared off since the trade that brought Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to Los Angeles and sent Davis, along with Max Christie, to Dallas as part of a three-time trade with the Utah Jazz.
The Lakers and Mavericks will play their final regular-season matchup on April 9 in Dallas, a reunion that might be more emotional, given how many Mavericks fans already have been extraordinarily vocal in their displeasure with the trade.
Tuesday was Doncic’s first time playing against the Mavericks, the franchise for whom he played 6½ seasons and made five consecutive All-NBA and All-Star teams.
“There’s probably a lot of things going on, for not just him, for Luka, but for everybody,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “When you look at Maxi and [Morris], really. They were with us too. So when you look at the three players that were involved in a trade that came to L.A. And then you have Christie and A.D., who’s not playing. Just the emotions. A.D. wants to play. Unfortunately, he’s hurt. And so when you look at what Luka’s probably going through, there’s a lot of attention on this just one game.
“But, the train keeps moving. This game is going to come and go. And understand that, he’s going to be one of the best players in the world. And the Lakers are fortunate to have him.”
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