Anthony Davis takes blame for Lakers’ meltdown in buzzer-beater loss to Mavs: ‘The final play was my fault’

Lakers star Anthony Davis sat at his locker after his workforce’s 111-110 loss to the Mavericks Friday and took the blame for the loss.

Mavericks ahead Maxi Kleber made a game-winning 3-pointer with 0.2 seconds remaining. Before Kleber’s shot, Davis was on the free throw line with just below seven seconds left. 

Davis made one in every of his two foul shot makes an attempt, growing the Lakers’ result in two, as a substitute of three.

Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers containers out throughout a sport towards the Dallas Mavericks March 17, 2023, at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles. (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE through Getty Images)

With 7.2 seconds left, Davis was referred to as for a foul towards Kleber on a 3-point try. Kleber went to the foul line and made all three of his free throws to chop the Lakers’ result in one.

“I already got here in and instructed them the final play was my fault,” Davis stated after Friday’s sport. The eight-time All-Star has taken blame for a number of Lakers video games this season.

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The Lakers fell to 34-37 on the season. A win would have boosted the workforce’s playoff probabilities as a result of two groups forward of them — the Warriors and Timberwolves — each misplaced.

“It’s powerful all the best way throughout the board,” Davis, who scored 26 factors, stated.

Mavs famous person Luka Doncic sat out of the sport with an damage. The win pushed the Mavs into the sixth spot within the convention.

Anthony Davis (3) of the Los Angeles Lakers defends throughout a sport towards the Dallas Mavericks March 17, 2023, at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles. (Adam Pantozzi/NBAE through Getty Images)

Wenyen Gabriel, who had 9 factors and 11 rebounds off the bench, stated he nonetheless believes in Davis.

“I imply, AD is our chief,” Gabriel stated. “He’s our greatest participant proper now, and that simply exhibits that taking accountability as being the very best participant. 

“That’s one thing that is necessary for the continuity as a workforce and having belief in one another, and clearly we belief AD. That was only a second. It’s clearly not simply on AD, however him taking accountability for that’s one thing that’s necessary as a substitute of pointing fingers by way of chemistry going ahead.”

Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers throughout a sport towards the Dallas Mavericks March 17, 2023, at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles. (Adam Pantozzi/NBAE through Getty Images)

The  Lakers play the Orlando Magic Sunday at Crypto.com Arena.

The Lakers had a sluggish begin to the season and are preventing to get into the postseason. The workforce will want Davis to play at a excessive stage, particularly as LeBron James continues to take care of a foot damage.

Los Angeles performed nicely after the All-Star break, profitable six out of eight video games. But the workforce has misplaced three out of its final 4 video games.

“We’re lacking our alternatives, for positive. It’s irritating,” Davis stated.