Anthony Davis Returns to Los Angeles as a Dallas Maverick

Image credits: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night, marking the first time Luka Doncic played against his former team after the shocking trade less than a month ago. It also marked the return to L.A. for Anthony Davis and Max Christie, who were part of the package going back to Dallas in the blockbuster deal. Davis is currently out with an adductor injury but was still back at Crypto.com Arena to watch his current team take on his former team.

Despite not suiting up on Tuesday, Davis received a hero's welcome in Los Angeles. The Lakers played a video tribute to Davis on the Jumbotron during the first half of the contest. The two-minute video featured a highlight montage of Davis in purple-and-gold, in addition to a message that read, "Thank you, AD!" Davis received applause from the crowd as he raised his arms in recognition. The NBA champion and 10-time All-Star was ruled out on Tuesday as he recovers from a left adductor strain suffered in his Mavericks debut on Feb. 8. Davis has been sidelined ever since, but that didn't stop Davis from getting some shots up ahead on the familiar courts inside of Crypto.com Arena, where Davis had called home for over five seasons.

LeBron James led the Los Angeles Lakers to a 107-99 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, finishing with 27 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, and one steal while shooting 11/17 from the field and 2/4 from the three-point range in 37 minutes of playing time. The Lakers are now 35-21 in 56 games, which has them as the fourth seed in the Western Conference. James is still having another dominant season with averages of 24.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per contest while shooting 52.0% from the field and 39.6% from the three-point range in 52 games. The Lakers and Mavericks are scheduled to face off again in Dallas on April 9, which will be a highly anticipated matchup, especially if Davis is able to return from his injury.

The following are the match scores and player statistics from the game:

• Lakers: 107
• Mavericks: 99

The player statistics include:

• LeBron James: 27 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, one steal
• Luka Doncic: statistics not available

The Mavericks and Lakers will face off again in the future, with the next matchup scheduled for April 9 in Dallas. The game will be a test for both teams, especially if Davis is able to return from his injury. Davis being active on the court signals that he's ramping up for his return, and the Mavericks will be looking to integrate him back into their lineup as soon as possible. The Lakers, on the other hand, will be looking to build on their current momentum and make a deep run in the playoffs.

The Lakers' video tribute to Davis was a classy move, and it's clear that the organization has a lot of respect for the NBA champion and 10-time All-Star. Davis helped change the culture in L.A. as they won a championship in his first season with the team after being traded from the New Orleans Pelicans. In six-and-a-half seasons with the Lakers, Davis won an NBA Championship, was named an All-Star four times, and All-NBA player twice. It's reasonable to expect his No. 3 jersey to be hanging in the rafters at Crypto.com Arena when it is all said and done. The Lakers and Mavericks will continue to be two of the top teams in the Western Conference, and their future matchups will be highly anticipated.

davi anthony laker maverick return lebron dalla angel jam injury