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,” Re

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