It has been a lot for the Dallas Mavericks, as the impact of the blockbuster trade from late last season is still being felt.
In their recent game on Wednesday night, Anthony Davis suffered an apparent injury during the first quarter, which prevented him from returning to the match against the Indiana Pacers.
According to reports, he was ruled out due to left lower leg soreness, which may be related to his bilateral Achilles tendinitis.
“Left lower leg soreness,” stated Kidd. “He tried to return, didn’t want to take any chances. So, we’ll see how he feels going forward.”
Adversity after adversity
The Mavericks have not yet recovered from the losses they suffered last season, considering the tragic events that befell the franchise, as they had just reached the championship in 2024.
As their former primary superstar Luka Doncic has been sent to the Lakers in exchange for Davis, Kyrie Irving became the leader of the team, but suffered a torn ACL that compromised their unfinished business after falling short of the 2024 finals.
The return of the veteran guard remains uncertain, although some reports indicate that he is expected to return in March 2026.
Aside from Irving, the Mavericks’ sharpshooter Klay Thompson still struggles to find his rhythm in the early season.
Thompson has been off lately, with small numbers and minimal impact on the hardcourt, similar to Dallas, which has a 2-3 win-loss record.
In addition, the Mavericks’ key big men, Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford are also suffering injuries that have sidelined them for a couple of games.
This also includes Australian point guard Dante Exum with right knee injury management.
One good thing
The only thing that gets interesting for the Mavericks, which might lead to their comeback after setbacks, is that they have secured their future by acquiring the highly prized rookie Cooper Flagg.
Although there were a few inconsistencies in his five games, he still managed to make significant contributions to their two wins.
Flagg is lowkey bringing the Doncic aura in his rookie year, seeing him as the future of the franchise.
