Dallas Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks power forward Anthony Davis is "making good progress" in his recovery from a left adductor strain and will be reevaluated in two weeks, the team announced Thursday.

Head coach Jason Kidd also told reporters on Thursday that PJ Washington and Dwight Powell are "trending in the right direction" in their returns from ankle and hip injuries.

Davis didn't make it very far with Dallas before suffering an injury. He made his debut against the Houston Rockets on Feb. 8 and put up 26 points, 16 boards, seven assists and three blocks but left the game with the adductor strain.

ESPN's Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon reported on Feb. 9 that Davis could miss up to a month with the injury. Davis said at the time he was "very confident" the injury wouldn't force him to miss a significant amount of time.

While he's dealing with an injury right now, it's been a mostly healthy season for Davis as he's played 43 games, putting up 25.7 points, 12.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.

Although Dallas Mavericks superstar big man Anthony Davis is set to miss time due to an adductor strain, he reportedly won't require surgery.

Speaking Wednesday on Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective (beginning at the 13:38 mark), ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst said he believes Davis has avoided surgery.

However, Windhorst added that Davis will be out for a "significant period" of time, referring to the recovery timeline as "weeks and weeks."

Davis suffered the injury against the Houston Rockets on Saturday during his Mavs debut after Dallas acquired him from the Los Angeles Lakers in the blockbuster trade involving Luka Dončić.

Prior to the injury, AD was turning in a dominant performance for the Mavs, racking up 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in what turned out to be a 116-105 Dallas win.

Disaster struck late in the third quarter, though, when Davis suffered a non-contact injury. He had to exit the game at that point and did not return.

Davis said after that game that it was "nothing serious," but ESPN's Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon later reported that the injury would force Davis to miss "multiple weeks."

Ahead of his 32nd birthday next month, Davis had to be removed from the All-Star Game due to his injury, making way for his Mavericks teammate in guard Kyrie Irving.

Injuries have long been an issue for Davis, who played in 62 or fewer games in five straight seasons from 2018-19 through 2022-23. That included missing all but 36 games in 2020-21 and all but 40 games in 2021-22.

Davis seemed to buck the trend last season when he played in a career-high 76 games for the Lakers.

He was also having a mostly healthy 2024-25 campaign until recently, as he missed only three of the Lakers' first 45 games.

Davis had missed a few games with an abdominal strain at the time the Mavericks acquired him, though, and now he has a far bigger ailment to deal with.

The 10-time All-Star is enjoying another huge statistical season, averaging 25.7 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.3 steals per game.

While many Mavericks fans were upset about the decision to trade a 25-year-old superstar in Dončić to the Lakers for a much older player in Davis, AD showed in his first game with the team what he and Irving were capable of together as an inside-outside combo.

Unfortunately for the Mavs, it looks as though it will be quite some time before Davis and Irving next share the court together.

Adding insult to injury is the fact that Dončić had a successful debut with the Lakers on Monday, recording 14 points, five rebounds and four assists in just over 23 minutes as part of a 132-113 win over the Utah Jazz.

The Dallas Mavericks could be heading into the All-Star break without multiple key players.

Starting center Daniel Gafford will be reevaluated in two weeks after suffering a right knee sprain, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Tuesday.

The Mavs are already missing two centers in Dereck Lively II, who last played on Jan. 14 before suffering a right ankle stress fracture, and Dwight Powell, who has been out since Jan. 17 after suffering a right hip strain.

Dallas is also without star forward Anthony Davis, who will miss "multiple weeks" with a left adductor strain, Charania and Tim MacMahon reported Monday.

The injuries will immediately test the depth of the Mavericks without Luka Dončić, who was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Davis on Feb. 1.

The Mavericks play twice more before the All-Star break, with a back-to-back home set coming up against the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat.

The team will be playing those games without Gafford, who suffered his injury during the second quarter of the Mavericks' Monday game against the Sacramento Kings.

Gafford had started 13 of the Mavericks' last 14 games, averaging 15.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 3.2 blocks over that stretch.

The Mavericks' injury list goes beyond the four players who are already confirmed out. PJ Washington, who missed the Mavericks' last outing with an ankle sprain, is listed as questionable against the Warriors. So is Dante Exum, who played Monday but has been listed on the injury report since Sunday with Achilles tightness.

This depleted frontcourt means the Mavs could be playing without a center on Wednesday. Kyrie Irving is already taking on one of the top 10 workloads in the NBA by playing 36.5 minutes per game when available, and he could see even more responsibility now that Gafford is out.

The sudden rash of injuries stings even more for the Mavericks given that Dončić, who missed his last month with the team after suffering a Christmas Day injury, returned to action for his Lakers debut on Monday.

The Mavericks may have to wait until after the break to make a complete evaluation of the impact of the Dončić trade. Dallas will hope to have some injured players nearing a return by the time the team returns to post-All-Star action on Friday, Feb. 21.

The Dallas Mavericks reportedly plan on using a "cautious rehab" for star big man Anthony Davis as he deals with his adductor injury, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

"I'm told the expectation is that Davis will need rehabilitation for the coming weeks," Charania said.

Davis, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a trade that shipped away star guard Luka Dončić, suffered the left adductor strain in his Mavs debut against the Houston Rockets on Feb. 8. ESPN's Charania and Tim MacMahon reported at the time that the injury was expected to force him to miss multiple weeks.

Dallas had traded for the 31-year-old despite him already being injured, as he sat out his final three games in L.A. due to an abdominal strain. He missed his first two games with his new team before returning to the court against Houston.

Davis looked spectacular before the injury. He recorded 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in 31 minutes before being forced to exit the game late in the third quarter. The Mavs went on to defeat the Rockets 116-105.

The injury has prevented Davis from participating in the All-Star Game, and he has been replaced by new teammate Kyrie Irving.

Despite being one of the most talented big men in the league, Davis has an extensive history of injuries throughout his stellar career. The Mavs still decided to ship away their franchise cornerstone to acquire him in a "win-now" move.

Dallas will be thin in the frontcourt until Davis is able to return. Forward Naji Marshall is likely to see extended action during his absence.

Dallas Mavericks fans are still unhappy with general manager Nico Harrison for trading star guard Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, and some of them paid the price for letting their feelings be known during Monday's 129-128 loss to the Sacramento Kings.

Per ESPN's Tim MacMahon, multiple Mavs fans were ejected in the second half of Monday's contest at American Airlines Center. A team spokesperson said their ejections were due to violations of the NBA's code of conduct.

Two fans held large signs that read, "FIRE NICO," and one of them was seen mouthing the phrase on the arena video screens before the camera panned away from him. They were later seen being escorted out of the arena, which generated loud boos from the rest of the fans in attendance.

"In the first incident, the guest brought in a sign that broke the following rule included in the NBA Code of Conduct: Clothing, garments or signs displaying explicit language, profanity or derogatory characterization towards any person(s)," Mavericks vice president of corporate communications Erin Finegold said in a statement.

MacMahon noted that arena security "has been strictly enforcing NBA rules limiting the size of fans' signs" since the shocking trade that sent Dončić to the Lakers as part of a deal to acquire star big man Anthony Davis. Harrison and the Mavs' new ownership group led by team governor Patrick Dumont have faced a tidal wave of backlash since the deal.

Harrison reportedly didn't attend Saturday's home win against the Houston Rockets, but he "was in the arena Monday night but did not sit in his usual seat in the lower bowl of the stands," MacMahon explained.

In another instance late in Monday's game, two men were ejected following a shouting match with longtime Mavs governor Mark Cuban. One of the men was wearing Dončić's Slovenian national team jersey. Cuban told MacMahon that the fans were yelling, "Fire Nico!" while Dallas players were shooting free throws and again during a crucial possession late in the game.

"In the second incident, the fan wore a T-shirt that also broke the rule [cited] and was also intoxicated, disruptive and uncooperative, all listed in the NBA Fan Code of Conduct," Finegold said in the statement.

Mavs players said they understood the fans' frustrations following the trade, and it's their right to let their displeasure be known.

"I mean, people are going to say stuff, and that's understandable. I was a fan, still a fan. If I didn't agree with a trade, I'd probably voice my opinion too," veteran guard Klay Thompson said. "That's the beauty of sports. You go there to yell and be rambunctious sometimes."

Kyrie Irving will replace injured Dallas Mavericks teammate Anthony Davis in the 2025 NBA All-Star Game.

Davis will sit out the competition with a left abductor strain, according to the league.

This marks Irving's ninth career All-Star nomination, and his first since 2023.

The NBA All-Star Game is set to take place at 8 p.m. ET this Sunday in Indianapolis.

Davis was named to the Western Conference All-Star roster days before the Los Angeles Lakers traded him to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Dončić.

However, he is now set to miss "multiple weeks" after suffering the abductor injury during his Saturday Mavericks debut, according to ESPN's Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon.

Although Davis downplayed his injury Saturday, Charania and MacMahon report he could miss up to a month.

Davis was dominant prior to his injury, putting up 26 points and 16 rebounds in just 31 minutes prior to leaving Saturday's game against the Houston Rockets. His absence is a major blow for a Mavericks team looking for him to replace Dončić's production.

The only positive for Mavericks fans will be the opportunity to see Irving once more recognized in the All-Star Game. He's been putting up 24.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game while managing a back injury and filling in for Dončić, who has not played for the Mavs since suffering his own injury in December.

In part because of that injury, Dončić will not be playing at the All-Star Game for the first time since his rookie 2018-19 season. The Lakers will be represented by 21-time All-Star LeBron James.

One notable name left off the Western Conference All-Star roster is Domantas Sabonis, who is averaging a career-high 20.5 points and NBA-high 14.3 rebounds per game for the Sacramento Kings.

Irving is the second replacement named to the 2025 All-Star roster. The Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young was named to the Eastern Conference roster in place of injured Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier Monday.

NBA All-Star Weekend has lost two of its biggest stars.

NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that Dallas Mavericks center Anthony Davis and Milwaukee Bucks foward Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss the All-Star game due to injuries. Haynes added that NBA commissioner Adam Silver will select the injury replacements.

Anthony Davis is dealing with an adductor strain that he sustained in his debut game with the Mavericks on Saturday. Antetokounmpo is out due to a calf strain.

Davis was traded to the Mavericks last week from the Los Angeles Lakers and had 26 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists in 31 minutes prior to exiting Dallas' 116-105 victory over the Houston Rockets. On the season, Davis has averaged 25.7 points, 12 rebounds. 3.4 assists and 2.2 blocks in 43 games.

Antetokounmpo has been out since Feb. 2 with the calf strain and is expected to return to action shortly after the All-Star break. He has averaged 31.8 points, 12.2 rebounds and 5.9 assists in 41 games.

The 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend is scheduled for Feb 14-15 in San Francisco, California.

The Dallas Mavericks will have to wait until at least Wednesday to see Anthony Davis return for a second game.

Davis has been ruled out for Monday's home game against the Sacramento Kings.

Davis exited in the third quarter of his Saturday Mavericks debut with a lower-body injury, which he later identified as tightness around his groin and quadriceps.

He is out with a left abductor strain, according to the team.

"Leg got tight, like a little spasm," Davis told reporters after Saturday's game, explaining that he "tried to get it loose" because of his previous experience with an abdominal strain.

Davis added: "It's nothing serious, I'm fine."

Davis previously suffered an abdominal muscle strain while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 28.

He missed three games with the Lakers prior to the blockbuster trade that sent him to Dallas in exchange for Luka Dončić, then sat out his first two contests as a Maverick with the injury.

Davis returned Saturday to make his Mavericks debut against the Houston Rockets, where he dominated with 25 points and 16 rebounds in 31 minutes prior to his injury.

After dealing with injury issues throughout his 13-year career, Davis played a career-high 76 games for the Lakers last season.

After making a major bet on Davis by sending out their 25-year-old superstar in order to acquire him from the Lakers, the Mavericks are hoping the 31-year-old will be available to lead the team down the stretch.

The Mavericks spend the rest of the week at home, facing the Golden State Warriors Wednesday before taking on the Miami Heat the following night.

If Davis is forced to miss more time with his latest injury, the team will at least hope he is able to return after the All-Star break when the Mavs return to action on Feb. 21.

Mark Cuban once called the shots for the Dallas Mavericks as the majority owner, but he had no say in one of the biggest decisions the team has ever made.

Per NBA insider Marc Stein, Cuban "urged" Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison not to trade Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in return for Anthony Davis. According to Stein, Cuban's pleading with Harrison came too late.

"By the time Cuban found out about the Luka-for-AD trade, it was too late," Stein wrote. "[Patrick] Dumont never approached for advice. Sources say Cuban urged Harrison not to go ahead with the swap ... only to find out that the deal had already been sealed with the Lakers by verbal handshake."

Cuban owned the majority of the Mavericks organization from 2000 until November 2023, when he sold his 73 percent stake. When he sold the team, he did so with the belief that he could still be a part of decisions like that which sent Dončić to Los Angeles.

According to Stein, being out of the loop on the Dončić deal hurt Cuban.

"In truth he has clearly been stung, league sources say, by the lack of advance warning he had on the deal — yet another harsh signal that he has been pushed farther and farther away from the front office than he ever imagined after his very public belief at the time of the sale of the team in November 2023 that he would retain oversight of basketball operations," Stein wrote.

Per Stein, Cuban was "forbidden this season by the NBA to take his customary seat behind the Mavericks' bench at road games." Cuban also told Stein in November that "he did not have the say-so over basketball matters that he anticipated when the sale was agreed to with the Adelson and Dumont families."

The Mavericks trading Dončić to the Lakers last week was one of the most surprising moves in NBA history. While Dallas got an outstanding player and perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Davis, it costs the Mavs the face of their franchise who led them to the NBA Finals just one season ago.

The decision was understandably met with frustration by fans.

The trade could end up working out in the Mavericks' favor, but for now, Cuban and Dallas fans alike remain shocked.