NEW ORLEANS — Anthony Davis was greeted with boos in the city he called home for the first seven years of his NBA career.
Hearing displeasure from his former fanbase was routine for the Mavericks big man, who’d played seven regular-season games in New Orleans since his controversial trade from the Pelicans to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019.
Cooper Flagg received cheers from the crowd here at Smoothie King Center, but that wasn’t the case for Anthony Davis, who was greeted with a huge wave of boos in his first return to New Orleans as a member of the Mavs. pic.twitter.com/925k7YaC0U
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) December 23, 2025
Davis had a dominant double-double of 35 points and 17 rebounds, but couldn’t come out victorious against his old team as the Mavericks suffered a 119-113 loss to the Pelicans on Monday night.
Mavericks
There were three No. 1 overall picks on the floor during the Mavericks’ 23rd clutch game of the season, but the one that stood out when the game was in the balance was a member of the Pelicans. Zion Williamson, who inherited the franchise from Davis, exerted his will and scored 10 of his team-high 24 points in the fourth quarter.
History was on Davis’ side entering Monday’s game with an all-time record of 12-3 against the Pelicans, but the final result wasn’t. It marked Davis’ fifth consecutive game of at least 30 points against his former team.
“It means nothing,” Davis said after the game. ”I could have 70 and if we lose, it means nothing. I’m about wins.”
Dallas dropped to 11-19, while the Pelicans won their fifth straight to improve to 8-22. The Mavericks led by as many as 11, but New Orleans outscored them 40-26 in the fourth quarter. Dallas also missed 10 free throws, a contributing factor for the loss.
The Mavericks desperately needed to snap out of their 3-point shooting problem entering Monday’s game. They had a season-low three triples in Saturday’s loss to Philadelphia and connected on just five in Thursday’s win over the Detroit Pistons.
Davis was responsible for one of Monday’s total of 10, but the Mavericks finished with a shooting clip of 30.3% from beyond the arc.
It appeared as if the Mavericks would find a way to reverse those fortunes when another veteran turned back the clock with a special first half. Klay Thompson produced a vintage shooting performance and exploded for 20 points and five 3-pointers in the first half. He was initially listed as questionable with left knee soreness, but that ligament didn’t stop him from entering the Splash Brother mode early in the game. However, he failed to score in the second half.
Thompson received an increased role off the bench because the Mavericks were without Max Christie due to illness. P.J. Washington was also limited in the first half because of foul trouble.
Cooper Flagg entered his first game as a 19-year-old questionable to play because of a back contusion. He played and had his streak of four consecutive 20-point games snapped. He finished with 16 points, six rebounds and six assists.
Prior to Davis’ arrival, the Mavericks’ matchups against New Orleans were significant as it also meant a homecoming for Naji Marshall, who spent his first four seasons with the Pelicans. Marshall totaled 15 points, five rebounds and six assists.
Their record may not indicate it, but the Pelicans entered Monday’s game as the second-hottest team in the NBA, winners of four straight contests behind San Antonio’s six consecutive wins. They were led by Williamson, who finished with 24 points and nine rebounds in his fourth straight game off the bench. He asserted his will instantly and muscled his way inside the paint for several layups in the first and fourth quarters.
Derik Queen had a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. Saddiq Bey added 19 points and seven rebounds.
The fans in New Orleans have yet to forgive Davis for forcing a trade to the Lakers in 2019. Nearly every time he touched the ball or made a mistake, he was at the mercy of those boos.
“I don’t care,” Davis said. “It doesn’t really bother me.”
With 59 seconds left until halftime, Davis drilled his first 3-pointer of the night and silenced those still looking to root against him. He pointed to his arm to celebrate the basket, also known as the “Ice in my veins” celebration, popularized by his longtime teammate D’Angelo Russell.
However, the Mavericks’ meltdown spoiled one of his best performances of the season.
Twitter/X: @MikeACurtis2
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