‘We’re Right There’: Anthony Davis Speaks On Dallas Mavericks’ Chances To Turn Season Around After Losing Return Game Against Los Angeles Lakers

In his first game in more than a month, Dallas Mavericks big man Anthony Davis looked like a player intent on re-establishing himself at the center of everything the team does.

Davis finished with 12 points, five rebounds, five assists, and three blocks in 28 minutes during Friday’s 129–119 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, a night defined by gradual rhythm, sharp interior defense, and a renewed on-court connection with rookie forward Cooper Flagg.

It was Davis’ sixth appearance of the season and his first since Oct. 29, interrupted by a left calf strain and a conservative return plan implemented by team governor Patrick Dumont and the Mavericks’ medical staff.

Head coach Jason Kidd said the priority in Davis’ return was reintroducing him to the lineup with control and purpose. Kidd noted after the game that there were encouraging signs on both ends.

“I thought he was good for his first game back,” Kidd said. “We’ll try to get the rhythm and try to get the flow of just being with those guys on the floor. I thought he was good on both ends. As we go forward and continue, as we talked about, to stacking good minutes, he did that.”

Anthony Davis: “We’re Still Competing… We’re Right There”

Davis acknowledged the Mavericks’ 5–15 record, but he emphasized that the team’s identity remains rooted in competitiveness and daily persistence. Despite ranking 14th in the Western Conference standings, he said the group has not fractured during the difficult stretch and continues to build toward something more complete.

“We’re still playing basketball, we’re trying to compete,” Davis said. “We are competing, we’re playing for each other, and we’re playing together. I remember when Brooklyn started off 5-20 and ended up at the four seed. I’m not saying we’re comparing ourselves to that or that we’re going to start off 5-20, but we just have to keep competing. There were just a couple of plays here and there that hurt us, but we can’t complain, we keep fighting. I feel like we’re right there.”

That message carried over into Davis’ work on the floor. He served as a stabilizing defender, erasing shots around the rim and directing coverages during Dallas’ strong second quarter, when the Mavericks outscored the Lakers 40–32. With Davis anchoring the defense, the Mavericks forced turnovers, controlled rebounds and pushed the pace in transition.

The offensive side was about comfort and recalibration. Davis said the extended recovery time helped him return with more strength and confidence.

“Anytime you get extra time, obviously you let your body heal,” Davis said. “I felt ready. I had to do some more tests and everything which took more days, and I feel better now. Like I said, anytime you get another week or 7-10 days to let your body heal, you can strengthen things and then you come back stronger.”

The Mavericks started Davis at center as Dereck Lively II remains sidelined as he manages a right foot injury. Dallas has already shown signs of pivoting from the double big approach that the team boldly sought by trading Luka Dončić to the Lakers in February.

“When you look at it, with the minutes, we’ve got to try to maximize that and that’s being able to have two centers,” Davis said. “D Live is out, so being the center tonight, I think it was a good lineup. Ryan [Nembhard] handled the ball, made some great plays passing the ball. and scoring. I think we were pretty good defensively for a while. There were good things out there.”

Chemistry With Cooper Flagg Resumes as Anthony Davis Re-Enters the Lineup

One of the defining developments of Dallas’ first month has been Flagg’s elevated usage and his growing responsibility as a facilitator. Davis said reconnecting with the rookie was a priority Friday night, especially after the two built substantial chemistry in the early weeks of training camp.

“When we started off in training camp, he liked to ask questions and talk about where I like the ball and where he likes the ball,” Davis said. “We’re still trying to figure each other out. We had that rhythm at the start of the season before I went down. Then I had one practice. and then came straight into a game. It’s just about talking on the floor and getting that chemistry with all the guys again. I think we did a good job of communicating, and just kind of learning everybody again while being on the floor. We’ll continue to work on those things and get better.”

Flagg, who finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, and 11 assists, said having Davis back changed the geometry of the floor.

“It felt great,” Flagg said. “I’m excited to have him back out there with us. He is a great teammate and a great leader. It felt great to have him back out there.”

Managing a Minutes Restriction

Before the game, Kidd mentioned that Davis would be limited to playing 24-to-27 minutes. As a result, Davis checked back into the game for the final time later than usual, which limited his ability to help the Mavericks close the game effectively.

“Yeah, it was tough,” Davis said. “Five minutes is definitely a short stint. I’m used to playing nine or the whole first quarter. It was different for rhythm and for the mental part of it.”

The Mavericks return to action Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome. Davis will not play on the second night of the back-to-back as he continues his ramp-up process.

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