Mavs on Davis

Anthony Davis wasted no time getting acquainted with the rim on Tuesday. After having missed games over six weeks due to an adductor strain, he found himself scoring four points in the first minute of the Mavericks’ set-to against the Nets — both off timely feeds from teammates clearly looking for him close to the basket. He would wind up with modest numbers — 12, six, and three in 26 minutes all told, but there could be no doubting his importance to the blue and white, as evidenced by his plus-12 rating at the buzzer, best among starters.

Interestingly, the Mavericks appeared to be consigned to having Davis sidelined for the rest of the season. They understandably wanted to approach his convalescence with caution; after all, he wound up getting injured in his very first outing for them following his acquisition at the trade deadline. Insofar as he was concerned, however, there would be no baby steps. Even early on in his recovery, he resolved to play as soon as he was cleared. Regardless of their status in league standings, he believed his presence to be indicative of his determination to lead them past the Luka Dončić era.

Needless to say, the Mavericks need Davis for the remainder of the season if they are to secure, at the very least, a spot in the play-in. They’re currently half a game behind, but may yet wind up with an outright berth in the playoffs (not to mention homecourt advantage in the first round) if things fall their way. They certainly deserve a break or two; the roster upheaval has been such that they remain in danger of forfeiting matches. In this regard, he is already helping simply by being available.

For the Mavericks, finishing their 2024-25 campaign with a bang lends credence to their contention that they moved on from Dončić for immediate gains. And for all his seeming inability to stay healthy, Davis deserves major props for his desire to shape the narrative in their favor. Not that he has any choice. Their advancement is his advancement. For better or worse, he’s is it for them, and they are it for him.

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.