The Dallas Mavericks (2-7) are visiting the Washington Wizards (1-8) tonight at the Capital One Arena in a duel where both teams are desperate for a win. The main uncertainty for the visiting side is whether star big man Anthony Davis will be available for the contest.
According to the latest official NBA injury report, the Mavericks have ruled out Anthony Davis (left calf strain) for tonight’s matchup in Washington.
The former Lakers star joins a growing list of unavailable players: Kyrie Irving (left knee surgery), Dereck Lively II (right knee sprain), Klay Thompson (illness) and Dante Exum (right knee injury management) are all out for tonight.
Davis has missed the last four games for the Mavericks, having sustained the calf strain in the team’s last victory (October 29th against the Pacers) where he played only seven minutes. His absence has created a significant problem for Jason Kidd, as the team has not won since the big man was sidelined.
Despite the time missed, Davis remains the leading contributor for the Mavericks, averaging 20.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game, while shooting 52% from the field.
Mavericks need to reverse early struggles
The season clearly has not begun as the Mavericks had hoped, despite securing rookie Cooper Flagg with the first pick of the NBA Draft. Flagg has delivered strong performances, averaging 14.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists.
However, the team has been heavily struck by the injury bug again, suffering initial absences from Daniel Gafford, followed by the injuries to Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II.