Anthony Davis Returns to L.A., Mavericks Fall to Lakers 129-119

LOS ANGELES — Almost a month after his last game, Anthony Davis returned to the court on Friday night, but the Dallas Mavericks lost 129-119 to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Davis had been sidelined since October 29 due to a left calf strain. In his first game back at Crypto.com Arena since the February trade that sent him to the Mavericks, he scored 12 points, grabbed five rebounds, and recorded five assists. He shot 6-of-10 from the field in 28 minutes of play, slightly above his minutes restriction.

“We weren’t really trying to force anything,” Davis said. “They were kind of double-teaming every time I caught the ball. I was just trying to make the right play with the pass. The shots [will] come to me when I have an opportunity to score.”

Lakers fans welcomed Davis with loud applause during pregame introductions, showing their appreciation for the 10-time All-Star.

Luka Dončić also had a standout performance, scoring 35 points and providing 11 assists for the Mavericks. However, it was Austin Reaves who emerged as the best player on the court, scoring 38 points on 12-of-15 shooting. After the game, he exchanged jerseys with Davis, calling him “one of the best players to ever touch a basketball.”

“I got a lot of love for AD,” Reaves added. “He’s a big reason that [I am] where I’m at right now. From day one, he was telling me to be myself.”

Davis’s return comes amid struggles for the Mavericks, as injuries have limited him to just 15 games since the trade. He will not play in Saturday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers as the Mavericks continue to take a cautious approach with his health.

“Any time you’re sitting down and you see these guys, especially in close games, you wish you could be out there,” Davis said. “As one of the leaders, you want to go out there.”