Anthony Davis is nearing his much-anticipated return to the court as the Dallas Mavericks prepare for a crucial four-game East Coast road trip. The star big man, who has been sidelined since February 8 with a left adductor strain, is now in “increasingly strong contention” to play during the trip, which begins Monday against the Brooklyn Nets.
According to Marc Stein, Davis is the closest of the Mavs’ injured veterans to returning, having been assigned to the team’s G League affiliate, the Texas Legends, for 5-on-5 practices to ramp up his conditioning.
While there was internal discussion about shutting Davis down for the rest of the season, the former Lakers superstar has been adamant about getting back on the floor.
Despite suggestions from team officials to rest and prioritize his long-term health, Davis is pushing to return and help the Mavericks fight their way into the Play-In Tournament. His determination speaks volumes about his competitive drive and desire to make an impact in what has been a rocky debut season in Dallas.
In his lone appearance for the Mavericks, Davis turned in a dominant performance against the Houston Rockets with 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks in just 31 minutes.
Unfortunately, that game also saw him suffer the injury that has kept him out for over six weeks. Still, his brief showing reminded everyone of the elite two-way force he can be when healthy.
This season, Davis is averaging 25.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.1 blocks per game on 52.8% shooting in 43 appearances. While he won’t meet the 65-game threshold required for All-NBA eligibility due to the injury, Davis is still optimistic about leading this team to the postseason.
The Mavericks, currently 34-37, sit tied with the Phoenix Suns for the 10th seed in the West but trail in the tiebreaker. With just 11 games left, every contest is critical—and Davis knows that.
Davis’s return would be a massive boost for a team devastated by injuries. Kyrie Irving is out for the season with a torn ACL, and several other key players have also missed significant time. At one point, the Mavs were down so many rotation players that there were concerns about potentially forfeiting games.
But Davis is not interested in a lost season. He believes that if he had stayed healthy—and if Dallas wasn’t so injury-riddled—they could have made serious noise in the West.
The Mavericks will face the Nets, Knicks, Magic, and Bulls on this road trip, and the hope is that Davis will suit up for at least one or two of those matchups. Whether it’s to stabilize the team’s defense, add scoring punch, or simply give the locker room a needed morale lift, his return can’t come soon enough.
If Anthony Davis can recapture even a fraction of the form he showed in his lone Mavs game, Dallas fans may still have something to cheer for in the final stretch.
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