Lakers’ center Anthony Davis received some criticism about his body language during Tuesday night’s loss.
Even as Davis’ teammate LeBron James made a fadeaway jump shot to take the top spot on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, the center still failed to display much excitement.
“It’s about the game,” Davis said after the Lakers’ 115-106 loss to the Bucks on Thursday.
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The eight-time All-Star added that his disposition on the bench was strictly about the Lakers’ ongoing struggles and nothing to do with James’ record-setting night.
“I mean, we’re losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder, a game we needed,” Davis added. “And I was pissed off that we were losing. It’s that simple. It’s nothing that has to do with Bron. He knows that. Everybody else is outside looking in, it’s their opinion. But I was pissed off that we were losing the game.”
Several videos showed Davis staying on the bench in the moments after James converted his 38,888th point to surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
A photograph showed several Lakers players standing up and celebrating moments after James accomplished the feat, while Davis was seen sitting on the bench with an unhappy expression.
Davis also mentioned that the record-breaking shot happened shortly after he had returned to the bench following his brief trip to the tunnel. He added that he was not aware James was getting ready to make history at the exact moment that he did.
According to ESPN, Davis apologized to James over the phone and in person during a team walkthrough before the Lakers’ game against the Bucks.
At one point during Tuesday’s game, James was heard telling Davis, “I love you. I’ll just let you know I love you, bro. That’s all I want you to know.”
Davis told reporters he felt bad the way his body language was interpreted took away from James’ celebration.
James was joined by his mother, Gloria; his wife, Savannah; and his three children — Bronny, Bryce and Zhuri — during a second on-court ceremony Thursday.
Abdul-Jabbar was in attendance on Tuesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, Abdul-Jabbar placed blame on himself for the rocky relationship he and James have had over the years.
During a pregame news conference Thursday, Abdul-Jabbar said he is “looking forward” to establishing a better relationship with James.
The Hall of Famer also lauded James for his dominance on the court.
“I think the different eras of the game, the addition of the clock and finally the 3-point shot, the game has had eras. And LeBron, without a doubt, is the greatest player of his era,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “That era is right behind that of Shaquille [O’Neal] and Michael Jordan,” Abdul-Jabbar said.
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