The arrival of Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks sent shockwaves through the NBA, as it meant the departure of Luka Doncic, a beloved figure in the city. However, Davis’ presence has brought much-needed balance to the team, allowing Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson to thrive. In his debut, Davis showcased his elite scoring ability and unwavering defensive commitment. Following the game, Anthony Davis addressed the Mavericks’ championship aspirations, offering his thoughts on their potential to compete for an NBA title.
“It’s not even the offensive end, it’s defensively. We had a record, first game, 18 blocks, we had none by Kyrie (jokingly)…Once we really get (the defensive scheme) down, it’s gonna be a problem for opposing teams. Just being able to guard defensively. We can’t control the ball going in every night, but we can lay our hats on defense. Defense has always won championships,” stated Anthony Davis as reported by FanSided.
Anthony Davis aligns with Nico Harrison’s vision, emphasizing that defense will be the key to the Dallas Mavericks’ championship hopes. He stated that once they reach their peak defensive form, opponents will struggle to beat them. Davis backed up his words with a dominant debut, showcasing both his defensive presence with 12 rebounds and his offensive impact by scoring 26 points, leading the team in scoring for the game.
Despite the criticism and protests from Mavericks fans over the Luka Doncic trade, the team has shown a more balanced and complete roster. Max Christie also made an immediate impact, proving to be a well-rounded player with 23 points and strong defensive contributions. His performance highlighted that his addition could also be crucial to the Mavs’ championship aspirations this season.
Anthony Davis provides injury update after setback in season debut
Despite his excellent debut being crucial to the Mavs’ 116-105 win over the Houston Rockets, Anthony Davis had to leave the game just before the end of the third quarter due to an injury. After the game, Davis stated that it appears to be nothing serious: “Leg got tight, like a little spasm…Obviously dealing with the ab strain still, so just tried to get it loose, it wouldn’t really loosen up, let go, but it’s nothing serious. I’m fine.”
NBA insider Shams Charania provided an update on Anthony Davis’ injury, revealing that while Davis intends to keep playing: “Anthony Davis has some soreness in that groin area, but it’s not expected to be a serious injury. They’ll see tonight, tomorrow how he feels. I’m told he actually tried to play after exiting the game tonight.”
However, the Mavs would have opted for caution, as they are just a short time away from the NBA All-Star break: “they (Dallas Mavericks) just decided to be cautious with it. We’re about less than a week before the All-Star break, so I do think that Mavericks and Anthony Davis will take a safe approach going into the break,” stated NBA insider Shams Charania on NBA Countdown.