he Dallas Mavericks have given a huge update on Anthony Davis‘ status amid his recovery from a calf strain. The Mavericks have tagged Davis doubtful for their game against the Memphis Grizzlies on November 7.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Davis has been upgraded from out to doubtful due to a low-grade calf strain. Doubtful doesn’t mean that he’ll be available for the Grizzlies game, but it’s an indication of progress. He will likely get listed as out before tip-off, but he’s returning sooner rather than later barring a setback.
In addition to Davis, the Mavericks won’t have young center Dereck Lively II due to a lingering knee injury. Coach Jason Kidd will continue to rely on Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington and Dwight Powell.
Davis suffered the calf injury on October 29 against the Indiana Pacers. He was diagnosed with a low-grade calf strain and was initially ruled out for two games, as per Mavs PR. However, he’s now in danger of missing his fourth consecutive contest.
Davis’ Status Aligns With Kidd’s Update
While Dallas Mavericks fans are going to be disappointed once Anthony Davis gets ruled out again, his doubtful status aligns with what coach Jason Kidd said earlier this week. Kidd told reporters that Davis is considered day-to-day and has ramped up his activities in practice.
“AD is ramping up. He’s going to continue to be evaluated day-to-day. He’s reported that he’s feeling better,” Kidd said, via Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News.
Davis has only played a total of 14 regular season games for the Mavericks since they acquired him from the Los Angeles Lakers in the Luka Doncic trade last February. He suffered an adductor injury on his Mavs debut, keeping him out for 18 games. He finished the regular season strong, but the team failed to make the playoffs.
To make matters worse, Davis suffered an eye injury during the final stretch of the campaign and underwent offseason surgery to correct it. He’s now required to wear protective goggles for the rest of his career, as reported by Christian Clark of The Athletic.
Mavs 0-3 Since Davis’ Injury
The Dallas Mavericks were already struggling at 1-3 before Anthony Davis suffered a calf injury. They managed to pull through and earn a win against the Indiana Pacers without Davis in the final three quarters.
However, the Mavs are now 0-3 since Davis’ diagnosis, losing to the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans. Coach Jason Kidd finally made an adjustment against the Pelicans by removing Klay Thompson from the starting lineup.
Kidd inserted D’Angelo Russell for his first start of the season at point guard, pushing Cooper Flagg back to his natural position at small forward. The game versus New Orleans was Flagg’s first game at small forward since the coaching staff wanted him to be the team’s point guard while waiting for Kyrie Irving‘s return.
With a 2-6 record, the Mavericks are currently tied with the Pelicans for the worst record in the Western Conference. They are also 2-4 at home during that stretch, so things could get harder once they start playing more games on the road.
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