Mavs’ Anthony Davis could be close to return from injury, but is listed as doubtful against Nets
DALLAS (AP) – Anthony Davis could be close to returning to the Dallas Mavericks after a six-week injury absence, with the star forward listed as doubtful against the Brooklyn Nets to start a four-game road trip Monday night.
Davis hasn’t played – and has been listed as out – since injuring his left groin in his Dallas debut on Feb. 8. That was about a week after the seismic trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles and enraged many Mavericks fans.
The defending Western Conference champion Mavericks are in a tight race with Phoenix for 10th in the West, the final spot in the play-in tournament.
Dallas will be without Kyrie Irving for the rest of the season. The star guard tore the ACL in his left knee in a 122-98 loss to Sacramento on March 3.
While the injury to Irving could have been a reason for the Mavericks to consider shutting down Davis, he has continued to work toward a return, going on road trips and staying engaged with his teammates.
Davis had an abdominal injury before the trade, missing his last two games with the Lakers and the first two he could have played for Dallas.
When he did return in a 116-105 victory against Houston, Davis had 24 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and all three of his blocks in the first half before pulling up lame late in the third quarter with the groin injury. He finished with 26 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists.
Seven of Dallas’ remaining 11 games are on the road. There’s a good chance Davis’ return could happen on the four-game trip. Dallas is at the New York Knicks on Tuesday, Orlando on Thursday and Chicago on Saturday.
Anthony Davis upgraded on injury report for Mavericks-Nets clash
The Dallas Mavericks have a significant injury update on star big man Anthony Davis ahead of Monday’s matchup against the Brooklyn Nets.
Davis currently has a doubtful status, per team reporter Joey Mistretta. He is nearly close to a full recovery from the adductor strain he suffered in February, having kept him on the sideline for 18 games.
The Mavericks recently assigned the star big man to the G-League, indicating his return to the team will be soon. Whether it will be against the Nets remains to be seen.
Why Anthony Davis nearing return helps Mavericks
It is a positive injury update for the Mavericks to have about Anthony Davis, a player they gave up a lot for when they traded Luka Doncic to the Lakers in February.
Davis brings a lot of qualities on both sides of the ball that can improve their strengths in the frontcourt and potentially boost their title odds in the short term.
However, injuries to Davis, Kyrie Irving and several key players has prevented the Mavericks from taking off as they will need to wait next year. The team went 6-12 after Davis’ injury, meaning they have a lot of ground to make up if they wish to clinch a play-in spot.
Dallas currently has a 34-37 record on the season, holding the 11th spot in the Western Conference standings. They are even with the Phoenix Suns while being 1.5 games behind the Sacramento Kings. They hope to return to the postseason after making the NBA Finals last season.
After Monday’s game against the Nets, the Mavericks will prepare for their next road matchup. They face the New York Knicks on March 25 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
