"All we needed was another big man": Lakers fans rue Anthony Davis' trade after his game-winner for Mavericks
Anthony Davis participated in his fifth game since returning to the lineup after suffering an adductor strain earlier in February and logged his best performance for the Dallas Mavericks yet.
By knocking down a game-winner and helping his team clinch a 120-118 victory against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, Davis has become the talk of the town.
While many enthusiasts lauded the big man for his heroics, Lakers Nation voiced regret over the blockbuster trade, with many wishing the Purple & Gold could somehow undo the deal.
“all we needed was another big man,” @XRPKing16 wrote, adding a series of crying emojis.
“i miss him already,” another Lakers fan wrote.
“I miss him need him back on the Lakers,” @wydjoshhh_ said.
“trade him back for luka,” @jvtals suggested that the Lakers reversed the trade.
“Can we get him back but still keep Luka,” another LAL fan rhetorically asked.
“Lakers fans should support him forever,” @BabaGhan0ush wrote.
Anthony Davis finished the game with 34 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks. But more importantly, he followed the game-winner with an impressive defensive performance, preventing Trae Young from hitting a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
Lakers boast a better win percentage with Luka Doncic than Anthony Davis
Since Anthony Davis scored the game-winner against the Hawks, social media has erupted with Lakers Nation questioning whether trading him was the right call. Many fans now argue that parting ways with a dominant big man might’ve been a mistake.
But it’s difficult to overlook what Luka Doncic has to offer. He has proven to be far more reliable in terms of health and availability, and the Lakers have already locked him in as the face of the franchise for the post-LeBron James era.
Since the Slovenian's arrival, the Lakers have been on a tear. JJ Redick’s boys have gone 18-10 — a 64.2% win rate. That’s not only an improvement over their record with AD earlier this season (59.5%), but it's also better than the Lakers’ winning percentage in the past four seasons.
With Luka Doncic helping LeBron lead the pack, the Lakers are in prime position to enter the playoff as the #3 seed.