After the Los Angeles Lakers battle the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, following their stunning win on Sunday over the Thunder, they will travel a few hours to the south to take on the Dallas Mavericks. That means Luka Doncic will head back to his old stomping grounds while Anthony Davis will play against his former team for the first time.
When the Lakers hosted the Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena in late February, Davis was sidelined with an adductor injury he had suffered in his first game with Dallas. He had been essentially swapped for Doncic in the tectonic trade on Feb. 1 that changed everything for both franchises.
The superstar big man was asked about his emotions heading into Wednesday's game, and he gave an answer that seemed aloof (h/t Lakers Daily).
“No emotions,” Davis said.
Anthony Davis on the emotions heading into Wednesday’s game against the Lakers pic.twitter.com/xXcvOif5pR
— Melissa Rohlin (@melissarohlin) April 6, 2025
Like everyone else, Davis was stunned and blindsided by the news of the trade, but he subsequently warmed up to the reality of playing for Dallas.
He had 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in his first game with Dallas before suffering his injury. Since returning from that ailment, he has averaged 19.7 points and 8.5 rebounds a game, although he has only played 28.5 minutes a game.
Even though the Mavs faced intense criticism following the trade, there were some who thought Davis could make them into dark-horse championship contenders. However, Kyrie Irving suffered a season-ending torn ACL, virtually ending any hopes they had of making a real run in the playoffs.
They're currently in 10th place in the Western Conference with a 38-41 record.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Anthony Davis on his emotions before facing the Lakers on Wednesday
