Anthony Davis made an immediate impact in his Dallas Mavericks debut, posting 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks in a 116-105 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday. However, the star forward left late in the third quarter due to a lower-body injury.
Davis, who had not played since Jan. 28 due to an abdominal strain, set the tone early by assisting on the Mavericks’ first basket and scoring six of their first 14 points. He had a double-double by halftime and played 31 minutes before exiting with tightness in his groin and quadriceps.
Despite his absence down the stretch, Dallas held off a late Houston rally. Max Christie, who arrived with Davis in the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Lakers, stepped up with 23 points and hit a crucial three-pointer in the final minutes.
The Mavericks (28-25) faced an early second-half challenge when Houston erased a 21-point deficit with a 21-4 run to open the third quarter. Alperen Sengun led the Rockets (32-20) with 30 points, including 15 in the third, while Jalen Green added 24.
Kyrie Irving sealed the win for Dallas, drawing a foul on a late drive and converting both free throws. Christie followed with his fourth three-pointer of the game, extending the lead to nine with under two minutes remaining.
Dallas set a franchise record with 18 blocks, led by Daniel Gafford’s six. The team also overcame a setback as P.J. Washington exited at halftime with an ankle sprain after scoring six points in 16 minutes.
The crowd at American Airlines Center gave Davis a standing ovation when he took the court for warmups and was announced in the starting lineup. Outside the arena, some Mavericks fans continued protesting the controversial trade that sent Dončić to Los Angeles.
Davis downplayed concerns about his injury, stating it was a precautionary decision to sit out the remainder of the game. He emphasized that he is still recovering from his previous abdominal strain and expects to be ready for the next matchup.
Houston struggled from deep, missing all three of its three-point attempts in the fourth quarter and shooting just 28.6% (8-of-28) from beyond the arc for the game. The Rockets also failed to capitalize on their defensive effort, limiting Dallas to 38.9% shooting in the fourth but making just 40.9% of their own attempts.
