Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis put together an impressive debut with the franchise but is now expected to miss significant time due to a left adductor strain.
Davis collected 26 points, 16 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 blocks in a dominant Mavericks performance against the Houston Rockets on Saturday before leaving the game early due to the injury.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Sunday night that Davis is now “expected to miss multiple weeks” with the adductor strain and could miss as long as one month.
However, additional reports indicate that the injury could be worse than initially anticipated.
NBA correspondent Marc Stein stated that some within the Mavericks’ organization are concerned that Davis could be “sidelined for an indefinite period,” meaning that there is no clear timetable for his return.
Although there is no timeline for Davis’s return, the new Mavericks big man said he is excited to play and compete at a high level once he returns to the court.
“I just know what we’re capable of when we’re locked in and doing what we’re supposed to do,” Davis said, per the Mavericks. “I just think defensively we’re going to be a problem, and offensively we’re going to continue to figure it out. I’m confident in our group and what we can do.”
Davis’s confidence in the future of this Mavericks’ team is exciting, but there are still major concerns about whether the team will even be in the hunt for a playoff spot upon his return.
Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison justified the trade for Davis, which sent away superstar guard Luka Dončić, by claiming that this move was meant to help the team compete this season.
However, Dallas is currently sitting eighth in the Western Conference and just 1.5 games ahead of the Golden State Warriors for the 11th seed, which would result in Dallas missing the play-in tournament.
The Mavericks are now in serious danger of slipping out of the play-in tournament, as they are set to undergo an incredibly difficult stretch of games in the coming weeks.
Dallas will play a total of 13 games over the next month, which is the aproximate timeline for the of Davis, with 11 of these games coming against teams that are competing for a spot in the playoffs or play-in tournament.
Although Dallas is still in a position to compete at a high level in the coming weeks, stringing together wins to stay afloat could be very difficult for a roster experiencing a high number of injuries.