Anthony Davis Thrives in Mavericks Debut, Helps Guide Victory Over Rockets: “You Know What You Get”

Since the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in a return headlined by Anthony Davis, the 10-time All-Star’s debut with the team was highly anticipated. He did not disappoint, to say the least, finishing with 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks in 31 minutes. His impact set the tone for a 116-105 victory over the Houston Rockets.

“He was great,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said of Davis. “The way he came out, I thought the energy and effort was at a high. He was AD. It’s very simple. It’s not complex. It’s like groceries. You know what you get.”

Davis described the emotional experience of putting on a Mavericks uniform for the first time, naturally thinking about the type of reception he’d receive from fans supporting him for the first time. He felt welcomed by Dallas.

“Obviously it was an emotional day – my first game here in Dallas – just from the standpoint of being on a new team,” Davis said. “First time putting the (Mavs’) uniform on, so (there were) a lot of emotions before game time. All day, I was trying to figure out what reaction I was going to have, and obviously, it was welcoming, and I think that just kind of helped with my energy with the crowd reacting the way they did. Obviously, a big-time win, and we’ll just try to keep it going.”

There was no answer for Davis early on, with the Rockets deploying an undersized lineup for matchup purposes, including Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Tari Eason, and Amen Thompson around Alperen Şengün. This was the first test the Mavericks gained bullying a smaller unit—requiring Houston to adjust by starting Steven Adams next to Şengün after halftime.

From the start, Davis set up teammates early, including finding Daniel Gafford for a lob when doubled in the post, and exploited mismatches in the post multiple times. The Mavericks’ half-court offense included some wrinkles, including a 4-5 pick-and-roll that led to a pull-up three for Davis. He also got a pull-up from mid-range using Irving’s inverted ball screen. As the first quarter went on, Davis continued to impose his will in the paint against mismatches, both in isolation and on the boards.

“With a lob threat like that, it kind of reminds me of my team in ‘19 with the Lakers, ‘19-’20 when we won. It’s just tough to double now,” Davis said of Gafford. “You double me, and as his man comes off, you just throw it up to the rim, and he’s a better vertical threat. So, I just throw it up and he goes and gets it. Teams have to be wary of that.”

The Mavericks began playing with Davis as a center in plug-and-play lineups throughout the game. A highlight play included Irving, who finished with 13 points and six assists, attacking Şengün in drop coverage before finding Davis on a lob, then a pick-and-pop for three.

“Chemistry looked great to me today,” Davis said. “Obviously, it’s still a learning process, and Rome wasn’t built in a day, but we just keep stacking days. With the guys that we have in here, obviously, they’ve been with each other. We told him pregame, don’t focus on me. Don’t worry about getting AD the ball. I’ll find my way and figure out ways to do what I do. But having three guys who won a championship and know what it takes, and a head coach who won as well, makes our job a lot easier.”

With Houston going bigger after halftime, the paint was more challenging to attack, but Dallas had shown flashes of potential. However, along the way, the Mavericks saw significant defensive potential in the group, with Davis playing alongside fellow shot blockers like Daniel Gafford. Dallas set a franchise record of 18 blocks, with Gafford accounting for six and Davis adding three.

“We’ve had a record first game, 18 blocks,” Davis said. “Defensively, we had some plays where we fouled, but for the most part, we’re learning. I’m still learning the defensive schemes and the system here. Once we really get it down, it’s going to be a problem for opposing teams. Being able to guard defensively, we can’t control the ball going in every night, but we can lay our hats on defense, and defense has always won championships. Looking at past championship teams, they’ve always been top-five in defense.”

Davis feels empowered to roam defensively when playing at the four next to a shot blocker. When an underwhelming shooting threat is on the court, the Mavericks can deploy Gafford on the center while Davis pre-rotates off the weak shooter. Houston was held to 20 points on 8 of 23 shooting in the first quarter, setting up an early double-figure lead to help control the game despite the Rockets rallying back late.

“I just get to roam. You got a gap. A lot of come back guarding opposing fives, and now I got to just roam around and block shots and just help everyone on the floor,” Davis said. “That’s really just the main difference: putting me on guys who probably won’t have the ball, like [Amen] Thompson tonight. Just having me be able to roam and anchor the defense, control the defense, talking to everybody. If they go to the basket, they just funnel them to me and Gaff, and it’s our job to go clean it up.

While trying to recover back to Şengün, who was rolling to the rim, Davis suffered a non-contact injury, resulting in him going to the locker room with 1:37 remaining in the third quarter. The Mavericks’ update in the fourth quarter was that he was doubtful about returning due to a lower-body injury, but he ultimately did not return.

When asked how Davis was doing physically after the game, Kidd clarified that the team would have to find out more information later, saying, “I guess alright. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.” However, Davis expressed that it was “nothing serious.”

“The leg got tight — like a little spasm,” Davis said. “I came back and tried to get it loose and everything. Obviously, I’m dealing with the ab strain, still. I just tried to get it loose. It wouldn’t really like loosen up and let go. But it’s nothing serious. I’m fine. (It’s in) the groin/quad kind of area. It’s right in the middle.”

On Sunday evening, the Mavericks ruled out Davis for Monday’s game against the Sacramento Kings due to a left adductor strain. A timetable for his return is unclear yet, but Dallas will likely be cautious in its approach.

Max Christie, the other player the Mavericks received in exchange for Dončić, played his third game with the team but his first in Dallas. He delivered another impressive performance with 23 points, two rebounds, and two assists, marking his third consecutive game with 15 or more points. Naji Marshall added 16 points, Klay Thompson and Irving scored 13, and Spencer Dinwiddie chipped in another 10 points.

In addition to Davis, the Mavericks lost P.J. Washington to a right ankle sprain during the game. His injury occurred early in the game, but he was ruled out with an update at halftime, ruling him out for the remainder of the night.

“I’m sure he was. His first game, he was going crazy out there,” Marshall said of Davis. “I know he wanted to finish the game, but it’s a bigger picture—still a long season ahead. So, we’re going to need him down the stretch. So take his time, come back next game, do his thing again.”

While Davis cannot play on Monday night, he will have more opportunities to learn the Mavericks’ schemes and concepts. He sees many similarities between the concepts and schemes the Lakers used when Kidd was on the coaching staff.

“You miss that training camp when you kind of know everything,” Davis said. “The good thing kind for me is that J Kidd was on that Lakers staff when we won and the year after, and some of the concepts we had in ‘19-’20 and ‘20-’21, the verbiage is the same, the concepts are the same. But anytime you have to change teams in the middle of the season, it’s tough.”

Davis, averaging 25.7 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, is far from the only player on the injury report before Monday’s game. The team listed Washington (right ankle sprain), Christie (right shoulder strain), and Danté Exum (left Achilles tightness) as questionable to play. In addition to Davis being ruled out, Dereck Lively II (right ankle stress fracture), Dwight Powell (right hip strain), and Caleb Martin (right hip strain) remain sidelined.