Dallas Basketball

Mavericks' Anthony Davis admits shocking injury revelation

Davis was playing incredibly well in his first game as a Maverick until an injury forced him out.

Keenan Womack

Feb 8, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) leaves the game against the Houston Rockets during the third quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Feb 8, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) leaves the game against the Houston Rockets during the third quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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When the Dallas Mavericks traded young superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for veteran center Anthony Davis (amongst other pieces), the immediate question was the health of the Lakers' big man, and how quickly he would be able to play. Given the shocking nature of the swap, there was immense pressure on both players to get on the floor as soon as possible, pressure that had a negative impact on Davis in particular, whose debut ended early after the re-aggravation of an adductor strain.

READ MORE: Anthony Davis earns Maverick teammate's respect by coming back from injury

When asked by Andscape about his decision to rush himself back to playing instead of giving more time to heal, Davis admitted that he would have been more patient in hindsight.

"If I could do it over, I would probably take a couple more days. When the trade happened, I was on my way to come back against possibly the Clippers with the Lakers [on Feb. 4]. But when the trade happened, you got to leave and go to the next city, go through your physical. And I had to go to meet them in Philly, try to get everything situated. So, I didn’t have my treatment gear that I needed. So, that was like three days of not treating [the injury] and being on a protocol that I’ve been on...I probably would’ve taken a couple more days, looking back at it."

READ MORE: 76ers aiming to re-sign former Mavericks guard in offseason

Davis, whose injury history was a major detractor in his trade value, had his physical health affect his game again when he, in the third quarter of his first game as a Maverick, suffered the aforementioned adductor strain. This ailment kept him out of the next several games for Dallas, leaving them without not only a star on both ends of the floor but the de facto leader of the team.

Since then, he has worked his way back into the lineup, though he has suffered occasional setbacks. Davis will play tonight, March 31, against the Brooklyn Nets, hoping to help the team climb further into the playoff race, where they currently sit as the 9-seed at 37-38.

READ MORE: Mavericks' Klay Thompson speaks on possible retirement plans

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Keenan Womack
KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.

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