Is Anthony Davis Playing Tonight? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Pistons vs. Mavs)

The latest injury update for Dallas Mavericks star Anthony Davis on Thursday night against the Detroit Pistons.

Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Dallas Mavericks star Anthony Davis has been banged up a lot in the 2025-26 season, and he's officially listed as questionable for Thursday night's matchup with the Detroit Pistons due to a calf contusion.

Davis missed Monday's overtime loss to the Utah Jazz with his calf issue, and he missed several games earlier this season with a calf strain. So, the Mavs are likely going to play things safe with the 10-time All-Star going forward.

Anthony Davis (calf) questionable for Thursday.

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) December 17, 2025

Oddsmakers have Dallas set as a home underdog in this matchup, which could be a sign that Davis is going to sit out. The Mavs are 10-17 this season, but they've been a much different team when AD is in the lineup.

In the 11 games that he's appeared in, Davis has led Dallas to a 6-5 mark. In the team's 16 other games, it is just 4-12.

The star big man is averaging 20.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game this season while shooting 51.7 percent from the field and 31.8 percent from 3. He's a tough player to trust in the prop market in this game, especially since he was questionable on Monday and was eventually ruled out.

Here's a look at how I'd bet on Dallas with Davis up in the air for this matchup.

Best Mavericks Prop Bet vs. Pistons

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Cooper Flagg 18+ Points (-160)

Don't look now, but No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg is really starting to come into his own as of late.

In the month of December (six games), Flagg is averaging 24.2 points per game while shooting 53.5 percent from the field. The young forward has not seen his 3-point shot fall in the 2025-26 season (he's shooting just 25.0 percent from 3), but he's starting to find his scoring groove, putting up 18 or more points in six of his last seven games.

The Pistons are one of the better defensive teams in the league, but Flagg's usage should be pretty high in this matchup, as he's averaging 16.8 shots per game in December. If Davis sits, that number would likely jump on Thursday night.

Flagg is worth a look after scoring a career-high 42 points (on 13-of-27 shooting) in a loss to Utah on Monday.

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