Another Christmas, Another Gut Punch for the Mavericks - and a Familiar Conversation About Anthony Davis
Christmas Day was supposed to mark a turning point for the Dallas Mavericks - a statement game on a national stage, a chance to show the league that the post-Luka era had promise. Instead, it turned into another painful reminder of just how fragile this team’s foundation really is.
During Thursday’s matchup against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center, Anthony Davis exited in the second quarter with what was later diagnosed as muscle spasms in his right groin. The injury happened in transition when Naji Marshall fed Davis a lead pass.
Davis pulled up, limped to the sideline, and didn’t return after halftime. And just like that, another chapter was added to the ongoing saga of Davis and his health.
The moment wasn’t just a blow to the Mavericks’ hopes that night - it became the focal point of the national broadcast. When Davis took a seat on the sideline, TNT’s Inside the NBA crew didn’t hold back.
Charles Barkley, never one to sugarcoat things, delivered a blunt assessment: “C’mon, man, this is bad. Already got my boy fired.
Love you, Nico. Merry Christmas.”
That comment wasn’t just about Davis. It was a pointed reference to former Mavericks GM Nico Harrison, who was dismissed earlier this season amid growing questions about the team’s direction - especially following the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Dončić out and brought Davis in.
Dallas went on to lose the game 126-116, their fifth straight road loss, and the optics couldn’t have been worse. The Mavericks looked disjointed and undermanned, and the absence of Davis only highlighted the team’s vulnerability.
For fans, it was a flashback to last Christmas, when Dončić suffered a calf injury that ultimately marked the beginning of the end of his time in Dallas. Now, with Dončić gone and Davis on the shelf again, the franchise finds itself at another crossroads.
The conversation didn’t stop at halftime. Barkley doubled down postgame, shifting the narrative toward the future - and more specifically, toward Cooper Flagg.
“I would move on,” Barkley said. “This experiment is over.
It’s time to do a full rebuild in Dallas. Build around Cooper Flagg.”
It wasn’t just a hot take for TV. Barkley’s words echoed the sentiment that’s been building around the league all season: Davis, for all his talent, is simply too unreliable to be the cornerstone of a team with championship aspirations. He’s already missed significant time this season, and his injury history continues to cast a long shadow over any hopes Dallas might have had of contending in the near term.
And it’s not just Davis. Kyrie Irving remains sidelined as he recovers from an ACL tear, leaving the Mavericks without their two biggest stars.
That’s left Flagg - still in the early stages of his NBA journey - to carry more than his fair share of the load. The good news?
He’s looked every bit the part of a future franchise player. He’s shown poise, skill, and a competitive edge that gives Dallas a glimmer of hope.
But hope doesn’t win games - not yet, anyway. And that’s the reality facing the Mavericks right now. They’re a team stuck in limbo, built around stars who can’t stay on the floor, while their most promising piece is still learning what it means to lead at the NBA level.
What happens next will define the Mavericks’ trajectory for years to come. Do they double down on the Davis experiment and hope his health turns around? Or do they pivot, embrace the rebuild, and hand the keys to Flagg?
One thing’s clear: Christmas in Dallas has become less about celebration and more about confrontation - with hard truths, tough decisions, and a future that feels more uncertain than ever.