The Mavericks are still without Anthony Davis. Ahead of Friday night’s matchup in Memphis, head coach Jason Kidd confirmed that the star big man will miss his fourth straight game with a left calf strain.
“The Mavericks have formally ruled Anthony Davis (left calf strain) out tonight in Memphis,” reported Marc Stein.
As for when Davis might return, the answer remains unclear. Kidd told reporters that Davis’ status for Saturday’s game in Washington is still unknown, despite him ramping up activity this week.
“Asked about Anthony Davis’ status for Saturday’s game in Washington, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd told reporters in Memphis that it is not yet known,” Stein added. “Davis will miss his fourth consecutive game tonight but has had multiple on-court sessions this week in a bid to be cleared.”
The Mavericks have gotten off to a rough start this season as they deal with multiple injuries. Starting with Davis, he’s been limited to just five games after suffering a calf strain against the Indiana Pacers last week.
With averages of 20.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game this season, Davis is clearly still finding his rhythm on the court, but all the missed time has prevented him from playing up to his usual standards.
For Davis, this season is following a trend that has plagued him throughout his career. Whether it was with the Pelicans or the Lakers, health has always been the biggest challenge, and it’s likely only going to get worse. As good as he might be, he can’t make an impact if he’s unavailable, and the Mavericks are finding that out the hard way.
Sadly, Davis’ struggles are really just the start of Dallas’ problems. Besides his spotty attendance, they’re enduring a slow start from Cooper Flagg, terrible shooting from Klay Thompson, and an extended absence for Daniel Gafford. That’s not counting the situation with Kyrie Irving, who is still recovering from a torn ACL.
The lone bright spot for Dallas has been D’Angelo Russell, who recently played his way into the Mavericks’ starting lineup.
At 2-6 right now, this isn’t what the Mavericks had in mind for the 2025-26 campaign. After trading Luka Doncic last season, GM Nico Harrison made it clear that he wants to win now, and the results have not been great.
Ultimately, only time will tell how this season plays out for Dallas, but they must turn things around soon if they want to avoid losing ground in the standings. With Davis out and his return up in the air, the pressure falls on everyone else to fill in the gaps, play their roles, and rise to the occasion.
Fortunately, the season is still young, and there’s enough time to get back on track. They’ll have a chance for that fresh start tonight, and it could be the moment that saves their season.
The Mavericks can’t afford to wait much longer. If they want to salvage this season, it has to start now. Davis won’t be the answer until he’s back on the court, so it’s up to the rest of the roster to deliver. That means defending with urgency, moving the ball, and finding ways to win ugly. If they can do that, Dallas might still have time to turn the narrative around.
