The Anthony Davis era has officially begun in Dallas. And for Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, there might not have been a better start he could have scripted. Through the first half, Davis had 24 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and three blocks to his credit.
But, as the Houston Rockets mounted a second-half comeback Davis fell to his knees on defense with an apparent injury bothering him. In an electric debut, it was a shocking blow to Dallas fans. What is his status? Is he good to return in the fourth quarter?
What Happened to Anthony Davis?
It all seemed too good to be true. Dallas fans, on account of losing their franchise cornerstone in Luka Dončić, were livid at their team and its front office. But a masterful performance from Davis was turning them into believers on Day 1.
He was the first player to tally 20-10-5-3 in a half in the last 25 years. But as the Mavs’ lead evaporated to single digits, Davis was back on defense with 2:22 left in the third.
Houston began running its set with a screen incoming for Jalen Green. While they missed the ensuing shot, Davis was suddenly down on his knees inside the paint holding his groin area.
It appears that the 10-time All-Star pulled his groin, akin to his former teammate LeBron James’ injury back in 2019 when he first joined the Los Angeles Lakers.
There is no official word on what the injury is beyond a “lower body” injury or how it will affect his availability. However, Davis did walk back to the locker room for further evaluation.
Will Davis Return?
At the time of the injury, Davis was leading all Mavericks in points (26), rebounds (16), assists (seven), and blocks (three) in what was shaping up to be one of the greatest debuts in franchise history if not the entire NBA.
However, the injury has put a dark cloud over the entire proceedings and the future of the Mavericks. The official report from the team kept details vague, terming it as a “lower body injury.”
Mavs say Anthony Davis is doubtful to return, with a “lower body injury”
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) February 8, 2025
However, he is already doubtful to return, and with less than an entire quarter remaining, Dallas might choose to exercise caution with someone like Davis.
When the trade first went through, Davis’ injury risk was one of the biggest critiques fans levied against the move. Due to his age (turning 32 in February), and the injury history associated with him, the long-term prospects weren’t very high for the 2020 NBA champion.
This injury might put the entire season at risk for a Dallas team currently in the play-in picture as the eighth seed in a tight Western Conference race.
Any extended absence for Davis could potentially spell disaster for the Mavs and knock them out of the running for a postseason berth entirely.
