Getty Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers started off the year on a sour note, but at the trad deadline, they made a serious push for improvement. They added multiple key pieces and have performed well since then. With the playoffs just a few short weeks away, they need to be at the top of their game.
Unfortunately, they fumbled on Saturday night, losing to the Dallas Mavericks in crushing fashion. Anthony Davis had a slew of rough moments at the end of the game, and it all ended with Maxi Kleber nailing the game-winning shot. Mavericks head coach and former Lakers coach Jason Kidd spoke about the final sequences of the game after the contest, name-dropping Davis.
“We could have taken a timeout, but in the flow of things, I’ve always felt that that’s the best shot we can get, and we got three free throws out of that with AD fouling Maxi,” Kidd said via the Fanatics View YouTube channel. “So, again, Maxi stepping up, making the free throws, and then to be able to – AD misses a free throw to give us a chance to tie it with a two. Knowing Kai [Kyrie Irving], he wanted to go for the win, and with the double team, he had to give the ball up. That’s just trusting his teammates. And Maxi was at the right place at the right time.”
Not only did Davis foul Kleber on a three-point shot to allow the Mavericks to get within one point, but he also missed a free throw on the next possession, making it a two-point game. He then sagged off of Kleber on the three-point line on the last play, which allowed Irving to hit Kleber for the game-winner.
Darvin Ham Discusses Final Play vs. Mavss
In addition, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham also broke down the final play post-game, explaining what he saw from his perspective.
“I mean, he [Irving] got pretty much a line-drive pass over to Kleber,” Ham said via the NBA Interviews YouTube channel. “He started torching us a little bit down the stretch, thus, our decision to start blitzing him and double-teaming him. We made it difficult. Tried to be as active as possible. He found an open guy, and we didn’t get there fast enough. But AD had a last-minute, outstretched contest. But it’s tough. It’s like Indiana all over again. But at the end of the day, NBA players are highly talented. An elite skill level.”
Anthony Davis Breaks Down Final Play vs. Mavs
And on top of all of that, Davis also had something to say about the final play, explaining his actions and why he sagged off of Kleber.
“With seven seconds, he [Irving] dribbled almost the whole clock out,” Davis said via the NBA Interviews YouTube channel. “Me just reading him. Knowing that he’s probably going to take the last shot. He goes into his actual shooting motion and just comes down with it. He doesn’t shoot it. So, when he goes up [and] it kind of pulled me in. I was going for the rebound. Thought he was shooting it. He made a pass to Kleber. He makes the shot.”