The Dallas Mavericks (12-20) travel to the Golden 1 Center tonight to face the Sacramento Kings (7-23) for NBA regular season action, but the status of superstar Anthony Davis remains the focal point for a team looking to find its footing.
According to the latest official NBA injury report for Saturday, December 27, the Mavericks have ruled out Davis due to right adductor soreness, for tonight’s matchup in Sacramento.
Davis gave the Dallas faithful a major scare during a Christmas Day loss to the Golden State Warriors. Early in the second quarter, the 10-time All-Star abruptly stopped during a fast break and limped directly to the bench clutching his groin.
After being evaluated in the locker room by the team’s medical staff, he was officially ruled out for the remainder of the contest with what the team described as groin spasms.
Anthony Davis during Christmas Day game against the Warriors. (Getty Images)
While the “questionable” tag offered a glimmer of hope for tonight’s tip-off, reports suggested a more cautious timeline. ESPN’s Shams Charania indicated Friday that Davis is dealing with a minor groin strain and is expected to miss a few games, with the team likely to prioritize his long-term health.
Mavericks’ season not going as planned
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The 2025-26 campaign has not gone as planned for Dallas. Despite the high-profile addition of No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks sit at 12-20 on the year, largely due to a revolving door of injuries. Davis has been the centerpiece of those concerns, appearing in just 16 of the team’s 32 games so far.
The Mavs enter tonight’s contest severely shorthanded, already missing Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II, and Dante Exum, all of whom are out with long-term injuries. Brandon Williams (calf) is listed as doubtful, while rookie Moussa Cisse is also questionable.
Kings face their own depth crisis
Fortunately for Dallas, the Sacramento Kings (7-23) are also decimated. The Kings will be without three of their primary starters tonight, as Domantas Sabonis (knee), Zach LaVine (ankle), and Keegan Murray (calf) have all been ruled out. Backup big man Drew Eubanks also remains sidelined, leaving Sacramento with a paper-thin frontcourt.
