LOS ANGELES — Dallas centre Anthony Davis returned from a 14-game injury absence Friday night when the Mavericks faced the Los Angeles Lakers.
The game was the first in Los Angeles for Davis since the seismic trade sending him to the Mavs in a package for Luka Doncic 10 months ago. The star big man is still beloved by Lakers fans who watched as he teamed up with LeBron James to lead their franchise to its 17th title in October 2020 during the first of his 5 1/2 mostly successful seasons in purple and gold.
The 32-year-old Davis hasn’t played since Oct. 29 due to a left calf strain. He was expected to play 24 to 27 minutes against the Lakers, coach Jason Kidd said.
“You’re talking about one of the best players in the world,” Kidd said. “The chemistry when you get him back on the floor, it’s going to take a little time. For tonight, I just want a positive experience, positive minutes.”
Davis averaged 20.8 points and 10.2 rebounds while playing in five games in October before going down with his latest injury. The Mavs (5-14) have plummeted to 14th place in the Western Conference standings since, going 3-11 in Davis’ absence.
The entire franchise is still in upheaval since Doncic’s departure, even after winning the NBA draft lottery and landing Cooper Flagg. General manager Nico Harrison, the orchestrator of the much-criticized trade, was fired Nov. 11.
“As you know in this league, the train keeps moving,” Kidd said. “No matter of a trade or a dismissal, you’ve got to keep moving. For AD, it was to focus on his body, come back healthy so he’s ready to go, get him in the lineup and get him some minutes. Can’t get everything solved in 24 minutes tonight, but as we go forward, we feel like we have a chance to win when he’s in uniform.”
Davis played against the Lakers in Dallas last April, when Doncic dropped 45 points in his return victory. Davis wasn’t healthy for the Mavs’ initial visit to Los Angeles last February, when Doncic put up a triple-double while beating Dallas.
While the Mavericks have foundered in the injury absences of Davis and Kyrie Irving, the Lakers have been outstanding in Doncic’s first full season. LA had won five straight games heading into this NBA Cup matchup with Dallas, with the Lakers already clinching their group and a quarterfinal tournament spot.
Lakers coach JJ Redick has repeatedly credited Davis for his willingness to buy into a rookie head coach’s plans at the start of last season, which ended with 50 wins and a Pacific Division title despite the blockbuster midseason trade.
“He does so much stuff well at both ends of the floor,” Redick said Friday. “There’s just not a lot of players that are like him, that have all of those skill sets. It was really just a pleasure to coach him, and very grateful that I had buy-in from him, coming in on day one. You’re rooting for certain guys … just not when they play against us.”
