Kyle Kuzma: Pelicans Fans Should Boo Their Own Team After Anthony Davis Drops 41
New Orleans Pelicans fans booed Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis upon his return to the city where he spent the first seven seasons of his NBA career.
Davis scored 41 points in the Lakers' 114-110 win, and after the game, teammate Kyle Kuzma said Pels fans should direct their boos elsewhere.
"New Orleans fans should probably boo their own team for letting him get 40," he said, per Bill Oram of the Orange County Register.
Davis went 15-of-30 from the field and 10-of-12 from the free-throw line for his 41 points and sank two shots from the charity stripe in the final seconds to seal the four-point win. His steal off a Jrue Holiday inbounds pass set up the final points of the night.
The Pels have endured a frustrating 6-12 start, so seeing an old star in Davis co-lead the Lakers to a 16-2 record may not be the most pleasant outcome for fans angry about the end of his tenure.
Davis requested a trade away from New Orleans in January and eventually got one last summer when he was dealt to the Lakers as part of a package that sent Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart the other way.
The end of Davis' New Orleans stint became a bit awkward down the stretch. The team cut Davis' minutes to 20-25 per night, and New Orleans struggled to a 33-49 record. Fans even booed Davis while he was still in a Pels uniform.
But New Orleans has a bright future thanks to a 22-year-old in Ingram (26.1 points per game) and 19-year-old Zion Williamson, the No. 1 pick in this year's NBA draft. Davis won't be part of it, but fans can look forward to greater success in the short-term future.
