Anthony Davis isn’t panicking after the Mavericks’ rough start. Following their second straight loss, the All-Star forward told reporters that his concern level is “zero,” making it clear that he still has full confidence in his team.
“Zero. It’s two games,” Davis said, via Noah Weber. “Just got to be better defensively. I think we’re gonna play the big lineup. We’ve just got to do a better job with our switching, our low man. We’ve got to do a better job on the defensive end. I think that’s where our biggest problem is.”
Despite the early frustration, Davis isn’t losing sight of the bigger picture. He acknowledged that the Mavericks are still learning how to play together, especially with rookie Cooper Flagg adjusting to NBA speed and spacing. Flagg has shown flashes of promise but has struggled with efficiency so far, shooting just 37.0% through his first two games. Davis made it clear that the team is focused on building chemistry and finding consistency rather than overreacting to a small sample size.
“We’ve got 80 games left,” Davis added. “We can run off 10 straight and then what? We know we have to be better on both ends of the floor, but the NBA season is a rollercoaster, so we’re staying positive. We’ve got Toronto next, that’s a must-win as far as desperate basketball, and we’ll take it from there.”
While Anthony Davis may be relaxed, some Mavericks fans are already in panic mode. Following the Luka Doncic trade, the pressure to succeed has increased tenfold, and their timeline has shifted with Davis being 32 years old.
The Mavericks gave up the face of their franchise to put this roster together, and they need it to succeed. So to start this season 0-2 is far from ideal, especially with Anthony Davis at full strength.
Their latest loss, to the Washington Wizards, saw the Mavericks give up 117 points on 15-of-36 shooting from three (41.7%). On Wednesday, they allowed the Spurs to drop 125 on their home court, including 40 points from Victor Wembanyama.
Clearly, Davis is on to something with the Mavericks’ defense, but it’s far from their only problem. Without a true point guard on the floor, the offense has been inconsistent at times, and the Mavericks have been slow to adjust.
For Davis, who finished with 27 points and 13 rebounds on Friday, the struggles are just natural growing pains. Over the course of an 82-game season, he knows not to let his emotions swing too far in either direction. He understands how to stay calm while keeping a sense of urgency at the same time.
In many ways, this season will be a test of patience for the Mavericks as they navigate their new reality. With the Luka era over, it’s going to take time to settle in, but the signs are there for something special in the future.
At the end of the day, the Mavericks’ season will come down to how quickly they can find their identity. Davis is right to stay patient, but that patience has to turn into production soon. With talent, size, and veteran leadership already in place, Dallas has the tools to climb back into contention. Now it is just a matter of execution, chemistry, and heart, three things that separate good teams from great ones.
