The atmosphere inside Crypto.com Arena felt heavier than a typical NBA Cup game. The Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Dallas Mavericks, and the storyline was hard to ignore: Luka Doncic facing off against the franchise that traded him for the third time, and Anthony Davis suiting up for his first return to LA. The game was a thriller, but one post-game moment cut through the tension, hitting hard for Laker Nation.

Seconds after the final buzzer, Lakers guard Austin Reaves walked over to Davis, standing on his side of the court, joking with him and embracing him, before shaking his hand while talking animatedly. Then came a jersey swap between the former teammates, and after the game, Reaves wasn’t sure how to process it.

“I mean, he’s one of the best players to ever touch a basketball,” Reaves said after reporters asked about the swap. “So, I don’t know why he wanted my jersey.” The night clearly carried emotional weight for Reaves, who has always been particularly close with Davis, and he led LA to the win next to Luka Doncic: he recorded a game-high 38 points on just 15 shots along with eight rebounds.

Reaves also credits Davis for helping him shape his confidence from the moment he arrived in LA. Reaves further added, “From day one, he was telling me to be myself, don’t be anybody else. Continue to work and really just… be myself on the court.” It showed how their bond extended past the locker room and how the superstar empowered Reaves when he was just an undrafted youngster in the biggest market in the league.

Reaves has also publicly spoken about how, when the Doncic-Davis trade happened last year, he thought Davis was pranking him, and later, after the trade occurred, he spoke about how the shock from the transaction felt like he had “an empty pit in my stomach.” He also explained, “I’ve been around AD for four years… you create real relationships with these guys and that’s been the toughest part for me.”

So now, when he wishes Davis the best of luck in his post-game presser, it’s clear that this wasn’t an ordinary jersey swap, but a sign of history, gratitude, and most importantly, friendship.

Austin Reaves Leads Lakers to Perfect NBA Cup Record Against Anthony Davis

Austin Reaves was almost perfect today, leading the Los Angeles Lakers with a dominant offensive performance, recording 38 points on a stellar 12-15 shooting, missing just 3 shots and one free throw. His scoring outburst, combined with key buckets from Rui Hachimura, helped LA manufacture an 8-0 run late in the final quarter, turning a tightly contested game into a 10-point win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Luka Doncic continued to shine against his former team, scoring 35 points and dishing out 11 assists. Doncic and Reaves orchestrated LA’s offense, especially during the final 13-1 run, with Austin converting on Doncic’s excellent passes. Their combined tempo control and clutch performance cemented the Lakers’ dominance in West Group B, going undefeated in group play.

For Dallas, Anthony Davis made his first return to LA after missing 14 games with a left calf strain. He logged a decent return, logging 12 points on a minutes restriction as the Mavs tried their best to keep up with the Lakers. Despite PJ Washington and Ryan Nembhard combining for 39 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists, Dallas’ team effort fell short in the fourth despite keeping pace throughout the night, and the Mavericks finished the group stage with a 1-3 record.