Anthony Davis’ long-awaited return to the Dallas Mavericks came up shorter than expected on Monday night. He couldn’t have been more excited to see his team come through some recent hardships. After a long and arduous journey of rehab, Davis would soon take the court once again. He returned to game action against the Houston Rockets, his first in more than six weeks. Pretty much just like Starkel, his return is a massive boost for the team. Today, they find themselves in the midst of a challenging season marked by injuries and player cancellations.
Davis was hampered by a recurrent adductor injury. He dealt with an abdominal strain since his trade to the Mavericks in early February. Nonetheless, with each of these disappointments behind him, Davis was intent on finding his way back and showing up when his teammates needed him most. Indeed, his first summer league performance against the Rockets perfectly foreshadowed his physical readiness and skill. He put up a solid, and dare I say it, incredible 12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in just 26 minutes of action.
"There was no doubt in my mind I was going to come back." – Anthony Davis
To say that Davis was pleased with his return would be an understatement. He was just excited to be back on the court and his body felt good. His impact was felt from day one, not only for what he could bring on the field, but in the locker room as a leader. Davis has been very vocal this season about his desire to lead and uplift his teammates. A lot of them are stacking on additional minutes because the roster continues to shrink.
"As one of the leaders of the team, I just wanted to go out there and give them a breather at least." – Anthony Davis
That was on full display during the Young America’s Foundation game on Sunday. He immediately helped his teammate Kyrie Irving to the bench after the star ripped through a pair of free throws, clearly in agony. This implementation further highlighted Davis’s importance as a two-way player and morale booster for the Mavericks.
Davis had to undertake an uphill path to return to the court. He officially joined the Mavericks on February 7, and made his debut on February 8 against the Houston Rockets. His 31-minute performance in that game was one of the best of his career. His final stats: 26 points, 16 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 blocks. That first trade—the one that landed him in Dallas for Luka Doncic—only exacerbated the pressure on Davis. He would have to become a leader and informal captain of the group.
Despite battling personal injuries, Davis’s loyalty to the Mavericks has never faltered. He is inspired by the commitment of his teammates and their ability to fight through adversity when times are tough.
"Seeing these guys playing with seven guys. Guys playing 38, 40 minutes. We just don't have enough bodies." – Anthony Davis
His return may be most important of all for the Mavericks. They have outlived a gauntlet of one score affairs, won and lost. Davis's comeback is expected to provide much-needed depth and versatility to the team's lineup. His versatility to effectively play and defend all five positions opens all kinds of strategic possibilities for the Mavericks’ coaching staff.
"It was tough seeing these guys battling every single night. Winning close games. Losing close games. Blowing teams out. Getting blown out. They are laying it on the line." – Anthony Davis
Davis is hopeful for more future appearances and aims to reach full health, enabling him to continue contributing at a high level. His short term priorities still lie in guiding his squad through the second half of the season with less bumps and bruises, and with a few more wins.
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