Mavs Lose Anthony Davis for Six Weeks, Clouding an Already Murky Season
DALLAS - Just when it seemed like the Mavericks might start building some momentum, they’ve been dealt another tough blow. Anthony Davis is expected to miss six weeks with a hand injury, the team announced Tuesday.
The good news? He’s avoiding surgery.
The bad news? Dallas, already struggling to stay afloat in the Western Conference, just lost its biggest midseason acquisition for the foreseeable future.
Mavs head coach Jason Kidd addressed the situation ahead of Wednesday night’s home matchup against the Denver Nuggets.
“I think it’s good when you talk about six weeks, that’s a positive,” Kidd told reporters. “If he had to have surgery, does that mean that’s longer? I don’t know, but I think it’s just good that he didn’t have to have surgery and the number was six weeks.”
Kidd’s tone reflected a bit of cautious optimism - six weeks is a long time, but it’s not season-ending. Still, it’s hard to ignore the timing. Davis was brought in to give Dallas a defensive anchor and a veteran presence in the paint, but now the Mavericks are back to navigating the rugged West without him - at least for now.
There’s also the looming question of Davis’ future in Dallas. A trade remains on the table.
Whether or not he finishes the season in a Mavs uniform is still uncertain. If he stays put, the team could opt to keep him sidelined even after he’s cleared - especially if they continue to slide in the standings and fall further out of playoff contention.
And right now, that’s a real possibility. Dallas is sitting 12th in the Western Conference at 15-25.
With Davis out, the path to a postseason berth gets even steeper. The Mavericks haven’t found a consistent rhythm this season, and losing a player of Davis’ caliber - even temporarily - makes it harder to envision a late surge.
But there’s a silver lining, depending on how you view the season’s trajectory. If the Mavs continue to fall in the standings, they could find themselves in a favorable position heading into the NBA Draft. It’s not the outcome fans were hoping for when the season tipped off, but in a league where long-term planning is just as important as short-term wins, that kind of positioning can be valuable.
For now, all eyes turn to Wednesday night’s matchup with the reigning champion Denver Nuggets. Tip-off is set for 9:30 PM EST at the American Airlines Center. Dallas will have to dig deep without Davis - and if they want to keep even a sliver of postseason hope alive, it starts with finding a way to win games like this one.