INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- The Dallas Mavericks' injury list expanded during pregame warmups, when forward P.J. Washington sprained his right ankle. Washington suffered the injury when he landed on a basketball minutes before the opening tip against the LA Clippers. Washington was a late scratch from the starting lineup. He was ruled out for the game midway through the first quarter. Dallas was already without its top three big men.
The Lakers' new big man went to the free throw line. The team's former big man was on the mind of fans. "I miss you, AD!" a Lakers fan shouted into the silence as Deandre Ayton prepared to shoot a free throw in the first quarter Friday. Former Lakers star Anthony Davis played his first game in L.A. since being traded to the Mavericks last season, finishing with 12 points, five assists, five rebounds and three blocks in the Lakers' 129-119 win at Crypto.com Arena.
However much grumping you might do at the water cooler-about the stupid idiot coach and his refusal to trust the rookie, or about the big brick-handed lummox mucking up the offensive spacing, or about the sleazy executive with his hands on the purse strings-when it comes to games and scores and outcomes, you have to root for your guys. That's your end of the deal.
Gafford missed the final two months of the Mavs' injury-ravaged 2024-25 season after suffering a Grade 3 sprain of the MCL in his right knee on Feb. 10. Since arriving in Dallas before the 2023 trade deadline, Gafford has averaged 11.9 points on 72.7% shooting, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks while splitting the starting center role with Dereck Lively II. He signed a three-year, $54 million contract extension this summer.