Anthony Davis is still dealing with an injury setback.
According to the Dallas Mavericks’ official injury report, Davis has a left calf strain that’s been keeping him off the court. That setback is at the forefront of the Mavs’ issues at this point.
Heading into Friday night’s action between the Mavs and the Los Angeles Clippers, Davis was initially listed as questionable on the injury report. While his potential return hasn’t been discussed much yet, the Mavericks wanted to continue leaving the door open in case he could get cleared before a game.
Will Anthony Davis Take on the Clippers on Friday?
Friday won’t be the night Davis gets back on the court. According to the NBA’s official injury report, the All-Star front-court player has been downgraded to out once again.
Earlier this week, it was reported by ESPN that Davis needed the Mavs’ owner, Patrick Dumont, to clear the superstar forward based on the data that he requested.
“Patrick Dumont has requested medical data indicating that Anthony Davis is not at risk of aggravating his left calf strain before giving a green light for the 10-time All-Star big man to return,” Tim McMahon wrote on Wednesday.
At the time, the Mavericks were hoping to get Davis on the court for their matchup against the Phoenix Suns. Ultimately, the star big man was ruled out for the night.
For Davis, Wednesday’s game was his seventh absence in a row. His string of inactivity started on November 1, when the Mavericks paid a visit to the Detroit Pistons. Following a six-minute shift against the Indiana Pacers, Davis wasn’t deemed healthy enough to play. Since missing his first game, the Mavericks have lost all but one of their past seven games.
When healthy, Davis remains a productive two-way standout. In five games this year, the veteran has averaged 20.8 points while shooting 52 percent from the field. He is producing a double-double with 10.2 rebounds and dishing out 2.2 assists per game.
The Mavericks seem to be playing a safe game with Davis, looking to avoid any long-term setbacks after they invested a major package to acquire him in a blockbuster deal last year.
The Mavericks and the Clippers are set for an 8:30 PM ET tip on Friday night. The matchup counts towards the NBA Cup group stage.
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