Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade still shocks the basketball world
The NBA shocked the basketball world yesterday, February 2, when the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for big man Anthony Davis.
Included in the Luka package were Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, while AD will be with Max Christie and LAL’s 2029 first round pick.
According to Dallas General Manager Nico Harrison, they had a vision and a culture that they needed to create that’s why they pulled off the trade.
"As we turn the page, I think it's important to know that [Mavs coach Jason Kidd] and I, we've had a vision and the culture that we want to create since we've been here," said Harrison in a post-game press conference after Dallas started the post-Luka era with a 101-144 loss at Cleveland.
"The players that we're bringing in, we believe, exemplify that. We think defense wins championships, and we're bringing in one of the best two-way players in the league," he added.
Doncic was also surprised by the trade as he didn’t request one, and even thought that he’d spend his entire career as a Maverick and bring a championship there.
Despite the situation, the generational superstar was still thankful for everything that the Dallas community shared with him.
“Seven years ago, I came here as a teenager to pursue my dream of playing basketball at the highest level. I thought I'd spend my career here and I wanted so badly to bring you a championship,” Doncic wrote.
“The love and support you all have given me is more than I could have ever dreamed of. For a young kid from Slovenia coming to the U.S. for the first time, you made North Texas feel like home. In good times and bad, from injuries to the NBA Finals, your support never changed."
"As I start the next part of my basketball journey, I am leaving a city that will always feel like a home away from home. Dallas is a special place, and Mavs fans are special fans. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”
“Grateful for this amazing opportunity. Basketball means everything to me, and no matter where I play the game, I’ll do so with the same joy, passion and goal — to win championships.,” Doncic ended.
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The Cavaliers earned a 121-112 victory behind the heroics of their starters—Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Max Strus.
Mitchell tallied 30 points, six rebounds, six assists, and one steal, while Garland added 21 markers, two boards, and nine dimes. Mobley chipped in 20 points, six rebounds, one assist, and one steal, and Strus finished with 14 markers, one board, six dimes, and two deflections.
De’Andre Hunter also contributed off the bench with 12 points, three rebounds, and one steal.
The Cavaliers’ win overshadowed the strong performances from Heat stars Tyler Herro, who had a game-high 33 points along with six rebounds and five assists, and Bam Adebayo, who nearly notched a triple-double with 11 markers, 14 boards, and nine dimes.
Meanwhile, the defending champion Celtics pulled away in the third quarter and held their lead until the final buzzer, claiming a 109-100 win over the Magic.
Jaylen Brown led Boston with a monster performance of 36 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Kristaps Porzingis, who suffered a forehead cut after catching an elbow from Goga Bitadze, recorded a double-double with 20 markers and 10 boards, on top of his two steals and two blocks.
Derrick White and Jrue Holiday also scored in double figures with 17 and 11 points, respectively, while Payton Pritchard added 14 off the bench.
For the Magic, Paolo Banchero led the way with 32 points, nine rebounds, and seven steals. Franz Wagner followed with 25 markers, four boards, four dimes, and two deflections, while Wendell Carter Jr. added 16 points, eight rebounds, and one assist.
The Los Angeles Lakers shrugged off a late rally by the Minnesota Timberwolves to come away with a 94-85 victory, tying their NBA Playoffs Round 1 series at one game apiece on Wednesday, April 23, (Philippine time) at the Cypro.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Luka Doncic, nearly posted a triple-double finishing with 33 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, and one block, providing the offensive spark and playmaking Los Angeles needed to secure the much-needed win.
Veteran superstar LeBron James also delivered a well-rounded performance, contributing 21 markers, 11 boards, seven dimes, one steal, and a block.
The supporting cast stepped up as well. Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura provided valuable contributions, scoring 16 and 11 points, respectively.
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Aaron Wiggins, their Game 1 hero, was limited to just eight points in seven minutes of playing time.