Ahead of his first return to the American Airlines Center this week, Luka Doncic has been preparing for an emotional affair, along with the entire Lakers squad. Hours before tip-off, head coach JJ Redick revealed the message he gave Luka ahead of his first game back in Dallas.
“We’ve got your back,” said Redick in his statement to Luka. “Luka’s not gonna beat the Mavericks. … We gotta beat the Mavericks.”
Tonight is the first time since the blockbuster trade that the Lakers and Mavericks will face off against their former superstars. For Doncic, it’ll be his first game back in American Airlines Center, while Davis will be suiting up for the first time against the team he won a championship with in 2020.
While Redick made his support for Luka clear, he also showered Anthony Davis with appreciation for all that he accomplished with the Purple and Gold.
“I’m forever grateful to AD for our relationship as player-coach, and his allowing a guy that’s never coached outside of 9-and 10-year-olds to coach him,” said Redick on Davis (via Mike Trudell). “We had a terrific relationship. He was a pleasure to be around every day. He’s going to give you nightmares. He’s that good. You certainly have to scheme for him.”
The Lakers know first-hand how tough Davis is to handle. He carried them defensively for years before the trade and was having one of his best seasons as a pro with averages of 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game in 42 games for the Lake Show.
The Lakers never imagined giving up Davis, but when the Mavericks came calling with Luka Doncic, they knew they had to make the deal, even if it meant parting ways with a championship big man.
In a seismic move, Davis was sent to the Mavericks in exchange for the Slovenian superstar, and his tenure has been rocky so far. In an attempt to breathe life into the city, Davis has been giving maximum effort, and it’s caused him to miss some time this season.
In his Mavericks debut in February, Doncic dropped 26 points, 16 rebounds, and seven assists before leaving the game early with a lower-body injury. Dallas ended up winning the game over Houston, but it wouldn’t be until weeks later that he took the court again.
Since returning to the lineup last month, Davis has been showing signs of greatness, but there’s still a long way to go before he’s satisfied with where the Mavericks are as a team. At 38-39 this season, Dallas is barely hanging on to that final play-in spot, and there are very few people who believe they can make a run in the West.
Without Kyrie Irving (who was ruled out for the season with a torn ACL), the Mavericks lack the star power to compete with the NBA juggernauts. Still, with Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson in the lineup, the Mavs feel that they can compete with any team that stands in their way.
In the NBA play-in, the Mavericks will have the toughest path to escape, but they are not ready to give up yet. If they can rally down the stretch and find a spark in their rotation, it could be all they need to pull off an upset in the playoffs.
