Anthony Davis shined bright in his first game back in New Orleans since forcing his way out of town last summer, leading the Lakers to a 114-110 victory Wednesday night with a game-high 41 points.
Davis, as expected, faced hostility from jilted Pelicans fans, but enjoyed seeing and competing against his former teammates.
LeBron James added 29 points and 11 assists for Los Angeles, becoming the fourth player in NBA history with 33,000 points.
Per The AP:
“Obviously, the emotions was high,” Davis said. “I think this game was circled on both calendars. And they came out guns blazing and we were able to come out with the win.”
An energetic crowd booed Davis during introductions and virtually every time he handled the ball, only to see him and new teammate LeBron James take over in the fourth quarter.
“My teammates kept telling me, ‘AD, don’t worry about it. We’re going to get this win. We’ll find a way to win it for you,’” said Davis, who spent his first seven years in New Orleans.
Before Davis changed out of his uniform, he went to the Pelicans locker room to give [Jrue] Holiday a signed jersey and wound up lingering a bit to catch up with old teammates and coaches.
“We’ve got a bond off the floor that will continue no matter the circumstances. It was a fun night,” Davis said. “Everybody thinks I’ve got a vendetta against New Orleans or something like that. … I have no ill will toward anybody. I’m in a happy place. They’re in a happy place. And we’re just here to play basketball.”
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