Lakers make Anthony Davis return difficult as Mavs’ slide continues

Anthony Davis finally made it back on the floor after nearly a month away, and JJ Redick wasted no time making sure the Lakers felt it.

Redick said pregame he’d give his former star the “requisite level of attention,” and the Lakers followed through.

Davis’ first touch drew an automatic second defender. That was the theme all night.

Davis, playing his first game since October 29 because of a left calf strain, finished with 12 points, five rebounds, five assists and three blocks in the Mavericks’ 129-119 loss in Los Angeles.

He shot 6-of-10 and slightly exceeded his minutes cap, but never got to the foul line.

“They were kind of double-teaming every time I caught the ball,” Davis said, via ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “I was just trying to make the right play. The rhythm’s going to get there.”

Lakers fans treated Davis like an old friend, giving him a big ovation during introductions. It was his first game at Crypto.com Arena since the stunning February 2 blockbuster that shipped him to Dallas and brought Luka Doncic to L.A.

Doncic delivered again with 35 points and 11 assists, but Austin Reaves stole the show.

Reaves erupted for 38 on 12-of-15 shooting, then swapped jerseys with Davis afterward.

“He’s one of the best players to ever touch a basketball,” Reaves said. “I don’t know why he wanted my jersey, but I owe him a lot.”

Davis’ Dallas stint has been rocky at best. Injuries have limited him to 15 games and a pair of play-in appearances, the type of availability issues that played into GM Nico Harrison’s firing earlier this month.

Davis said he believed he was ready to return weeks ago, but the team held him out until medical data confirmed he wasn’t at risk for a setback.

He won’t play Saturday against the Clippers as the Mavericks continue to take a cautious approach. At 5-15, they need him desperately.

“You wish you could be out there,” Davis said. “As one of the leaders, you want to help these guys. Now I have the opportunity to do that.”