NEW ORLEANS — When last he was here, Anthony Davis couldn’t wait to leave. This time around, it was different. On Wednesday night, he lingered. He swapped jerseys with Jrue Holiday and found his dad on the baseline for a hug.
An emotional night drew to a close. When Davis was finally ready to say goodbye, just like when he forced a trade to Los Angeles earlier this year, LeBron James waited with open arms.
James lingered at the mouth of the tunnel leading to the visitors’ locker room and gave Davis a quick hug. Then the two stars of the NBA-leading Lakers walked off together, with security guards holding back the mob of Lakers fans that had also stayed.
After entering the court under a hail of boos, Davis was showered with cheers as he exited. Davis retreated into the familiar catacombs of the arena he called home for seven years, leaving behind a night in which he scored a season-high 41 points and carried the Lakers to 114-110 win.
Or did the…
