Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3).
Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3).
The Dallas Mavericks entered their Christmas Day road game against the Golden State Warriors looking to build on a 131‑130 win over the Denver Nuggets, a game in which Cooper Flagg scored 33 points and Anthony Davis added 31 to snap Denver’s 11‑game road win streak. Dallas was aiming to make it two wins in a row behind those performances.
The Mavericks trailed by 12 points in the first quarter before trimming the deficit to four early in the second. However, disaster struck early in the second quarter when Davis appeared to slow down after receiving a full‑court pass from Naji Marshall before drifting toward the sideline.
Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3)
Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3)
After Dallas called timeout, Davis was examined by team trainers before being helped off the court and escorted to the locker room.
He did not return to the Mavericks’ bench before halftime, with Dallas trailing 71-58 at the break as the team continued to monitor his injury.
Shortly after halftime, the Mavericks announced Davis would not return to the game due to a right groin strain. Davis finished the night against the Warriors with three points.
The news is a significant blow for Dallas, as Davis was just beginning to regain his All‑Star form after a season derailed by injury. Entering Thursday’s game, Davis had been averaging 21.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per game, while shooting 52.5% from the field in 15 games this season. He had also recently returned from a 14‑game absence with a strained left calf, the same issue that forced him out earlier in the campaign.
Injuries have been a recurrent theme throughout Davis’ career, and this season has been no exception. After being traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Mavericks during the 2024‑25 season, Davis played just nine games due to an adductor strain suffered during his Mavericks debut against the Houston Rockets.
The Mavericks will now await further evaluation to determine whether this latest issue will sideline him for an extended period.
If Davis misses time, Dallas will be forced to lean even more heavily on Cooper Flagg, the 2025 No. 1 overall pick, who has impressed in his rookie season. Flagg entered the Warriors game averaging 19.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, while shooting 48.7 percent from the field.
View post: Anthony Davis to Bulls Receives Update on Monday
Start the Conversation