The Dallas Mavericks are preparing for the return of Anthony Davis and have recalled the 10-time NBA All-Star following a brief stint with the Texas Legends.
Davis practiced with the Mavericks’ G-League affiliate and was quickly recalled following the workout, providing an indication that he could be close to a return, according to Yahoo Sports.
The Mavericks have provided little information about when Davis will return, but he will likely spend time practicing with the team before appearing in games with a minutes restriction.
The 10-time All-Star managed to appear in just one game for the Mavericks following his trade from the Los Angeles Lakers, posting 26 points, 16 rebounds, and 7 assists in a win before leaving with the injury.
This potential return to the court for Davis comes at the perfect time for the Mavericks as the team is struggling to stay healthy and make the play-in tournament.
Kyrie Irving, Dante Exum, and Olivier Maxence-Prosper are each expected to miss the remainder of the season and multiple other players have missed significant time throughout the year.
These injuries have greatly affected the Mavericks’ path to the NBA Playoffs, with the team sitting in the 10th overall seed in the Western Conference with a record of just 33-36, including a record of 2-8 in the last 10 games.
Dallas is also only one full game ahead of the Phoenix Suns in the conference standings, meaning the team is in risk of completely missing the play-in tournament and the playoffs.
Phoenix also holds the tiebreaker over the Mavericks due to the Suns winning three of the four matchups between the two teams this season.
As a result, the Mavericks must finish one full game ahead of the Suns in the standings or the team will likely miss the postseason.
The good news for Dallas is that Phoenix has the most difficult strength of schedule to finish the season, with the remaining opponents having a combined winning percentage of .616, according to Tankathon.
Meanwhile, Dallas has a difficult schedule remaining but an easier path than the Suns, with the Mavericks’ remaining opponents having a combined winning percentage of .501.
Although Davis’s eventual return does not guarantee the Mavericks a spot in the playoffs, adding another crucial piece to this team could be just enough to make the postseason.