Anthony Davis Returns to the Court: A Boost for the Mavericks Amidst Injury Woes
NEW YORK — The Dallas Mavericks have been navigating a turbulent season, and the return of Anthony Davis to the court is a much-needed boost. After being sidelined for over six weeks due to an adductor injury, Davis made his comeback in a 120-101 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. His performance was solid, contributing 12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and a block in 26 minutes of play. “Physically I felt great,” Davis shared, reflecting on his return. “It’s the mental aspect when you’re coming back from something like that. To mentally be ready to go out and play. I was mentally ready. But then getting into game action where you can’t anticipate what the other team is going to do. I overcame that in the first minute or so. From there, it was just about being smart. Obviously, I’m on a minutes restriction.”
Monday’s game was only the second time Davis had played for Dallas since being traded from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Luka Doncic at the start of February. His debut with the Mavericks was impressive, scoring 26 points and grabbing 16 rebounds against the Houston Rockets. However, his injury woes continued as he aggravated his abdominal strain shortly after.
During Davis’s absence, the Mavericks have been plagued by injuries. Key players like Kyrie Irving, Daniel Gafford, Dante Exum, and Caleb Martin have all been sidelined, leaving the team struggling to field the minimum eight players required for an NBA game. Coach Jason Kidd even joked about conserving energy by having players warm up later than usual. But with Davis back, there’s hope for a shift in momentum, especially with the potential return of third-year big man Dereck Lively II in the coming weeks.
“It was tough seeing these guys battling every single night. Winning close games,” Davis said. “Losing close games. Blowing teams out. Getting blown out. They are laying it on the line. For me, it was never a thought about if I was going to come back and play. Especially if I was healthy. We are undermanned. Guys are hurt. Gafford. Lively. Kyrie goes out. It was tough. Guys were leaving it on the floor. Guys laying on the floor in the locker room afterwards just gassed — to the point of exhaustion. There was no doubt I was going to come back and play. That makes you want to come out and play with these guys. Leave it on the floor and battle each and every night.”
Irving’s injury was particularly devastating. He tore his ACL during a game against the Sacramento Kings, and his absence will be felt for the rest of this season and likely a significant part of the next. Despite the setback, Irving remains with the team, supporting them from the sidelines. “It was devastating,” Davis said of Irving’s injury. “Kyrie is a phenomenal basketball player. But even more phenomenal human. Any time anyone goes through something like that, an injury like that, it always sucks. Obviously, the initial injury, the initial moment, you want to give him space. Then he came back to the locker room. Got everything out of his system. Now he’s excited about the rehab process.”
Coach Kidd was optimistic about Davis’s return, hoping it would be a positive experience for both the player and the team. “It was a positive experience,” Kidd said. “We tried to keep his run short. We tried to keep him under his minutes and I thought he did an incredible job. I thought his rhythm was good. Sometimes when you get a player back like AD, you wanna dump the ball to him every time. I thought the guys did a good job of being aggressive and letting the ball find him.”
Despite the optimism surrounding Davis’s return, the Mavericks face a challenging road ahead. The team currently holds a precarious position, sitting a half-game ahead of the Phoenix Suns for the 10th and final spot in the Western Conference play-in picture. The expectations have shifted since the trade, with Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison initially declaring a “3-to-4 year” window to win titles.
Yet, Davis remains determined to contribute. “I stressed that to them,” Davis said. “Once I’m 100 percent, whenever that time was, and we have games left, I’m going to play. We all huddled up and got on the same page. Went through the rehab process and was able to play tonight. There was never a moment in my mind — unless we ran out of games — that I wasn’t going to play.”
- Anthony Davis’s return is a significant boost for the Mavericks.
- The team has been struggling with multiple injuries, including Kyrie Irving’s ACL tear.
- Coach Jason Kidd is optimistic about the team’s future with Davis back on the court.
As the Mavericks continue to battle through adversity, Davis’s return is a beacon of hope. His determination to play and support his teammates is a testament to his leadership and commitment to the team. The road ahead may be challenging, but with Davis back in action, the Mavericks are ready to fight for their place in the playoffs.
Originally Written by: Tim Bontemps
