Anthony Davis shared his thoughts Wednesday night after playing against the Los Angeles Lakers for the first time since being traded to the Dallas Mavericks.
The veteran forward, who was part of the February deal that sent Luka Doncic to Los Angeles, finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds in the Mavericks’ 112-97 home loss.
Davis reflected on the moment shared with Doncic after the final buzzer, saying the interaction was one of mutual respect.
“Just told him good game. We played a hell of a game. You know, just a respect thing,” Davis told reporters postgame.
The five-time All-NBA selection admitted the midseason trade came as a surprise to both players.
“Neither one of us knew about [the trade], so it’s a little bit different,” Davis said. “But it’s a business at the end of the day from both sides.”
Doncic, who spent his first six and a half seasons in Dallas, was honored with a tribute video during the first quarter and received a standing ovation despite being booed during introductions.
Davis said the tribute was appropriate, adding, “He was here five years. Did some great things for the organization and the city. It was definitely deserving.”
Doncic responded with 45 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and four steals, helping the Lakers improve to 49-31 and clinch a postseason berth.
LeBron James scored 13 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter to lead a decisive run after the Mavericks briefly took an 87-85 lead early in the period.
Davis noted the Lakers’ execution down the stretch, particularly in capitalizing on Dallas’s 19 turnovers.
“They were just moving the basketball. We were turning the ball over. We weren’t valuing the basketball,” Davis said. “He [James] was slashing and getting a lot of easy ones at the rim.”
The 40-year-old James made history in the process, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for second-most games played in NBA regular season history with his 1,561st appearance.
Austin Reaves contributed 24 points, while Jarred Vanderbilt led all players with 12 rebounds off the bench as the Purple and Gold improved to 19-21 on the road.
The Mavericks, now 38-42, dropped their third straight and fell to 21-18 at American Airlines Center, securing their first losing season since 2017–18.
Davis was candid when asked how he approaches questions about his role in a trade involving a player he never played alongside.
“You guys don’t ask anyway, so…” he said with a shrug, addressing the nature of the media focus on Doncic’s return.
While the Lakers maintained their hold on the third seed in the West, the Mavericks remain in a tight battle to reach the Play-In Tournament.
Davis acknowledged the uphill path ahead but emphasized the team’s focus on improving.
“We’re a team who wants to win basketball games and get ready for the Play-In and stuff like that,” he said. “The other stuff — we can’t control it.”
Doncic was ejected with 1:12 remaining after receiving a second technical foul for arguing a no-call, ending his return to Dallas with a mix of cheers and boos from the crowd.
Despite the emotional setting and result, Davis insisted there were no hard feelings, and his focus remains on helping Dallas navigate the final stretch of the regular season.
“This one’s done,” he said. “Now we move on.”
