Archives

Thursday, January 15, 2026
HomeDallas MavericksDallas Mavericks Take Lessons From Road Trip, Welcome Anthony Davis Back For Philadelphia 76ers Game
Dallas MavericksNBA

Dallas Mavericks Take Lessons From Road Trip, Welcome Anthony Davis Back For Philadelphia 76ers Game

Grant AfsethGrant Afseth
Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks, NBA
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

The Dallas Mavericks returned to practice Wednesday with a clearer understanding of what went wrong on a difficult three-game road trip — and with renewed optimism as Anthony Davis prepares to return to the lineup.

Dallas opens the new year Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers, coming off consecutive road losses at Golden State, Sacramento, and Portland that extended a frustrating late-December stretch.

Injury Update and Anthony Davis’ Return

Head coach Jason Kidd confirmed that Davis is expected to play, while several rotation players remain sidelined, including Kyrie Irving, Danté Exum, and Dereck Lively II. Kidd said Davis is projected to play his usual workload after missing two games with right adductor soreness.

“We always want him to play, so we’re happy to have him back,” Kidd said. “We’ll see — 30 to 34 minutes. We want to get him some touches. Offensively and defensively, we need him to be AD.”

Davis was active during the open portion of practice, working one-on-one, attacking the rim with force and showing efficiency in the post — a visible boost for a Mavericks team that has struggled to close games without him.

Lessons From the Road

Dallas went winless on the road trip, but Kidd said the most consistent issue came early in games.

“The slow starts,” Kidd said. “We have to be better defensively. I thought in Sacramento and Portland we made adjustments at halftime and played better in the second half, but we don’t want to dig holes like that. We had opportunities to win. We’ve got to get off to better starts. Right now it seems like everybody’s making threes, and we’ve got to do better there too.”

The Mavericks were forced to expend significant energy rallying from deficits, a pattern Kidd said has affected late-game execution.

“You’ve got to keep playing,” Kidd said. “It shows we’re in a lot of close games. Unfortunately, the ball hasn’t dropped for us offensively, and defensively we haven’t gotten stops. Hopefully, as we keep playing these close games, that record changes.”

Kidd added that the fourth quarter has been the difference.

“When you’re behind, you expend a lot of energy,” he said. “We’ve got to do a better job defensively. Offensively, we’ve had great looks that haven’t gone down. The fourth quarter is where games are won or lost, and we have to be better.”

Shorthanded but Competitive

The road trip was played mostly without Davis and continually without Irving, forcing rotation adjustments and increasing the burden on remaining contributors.

Kidd praised Daniel Gafford for playing through injuries during that stretch.

“Gaff is tough,” Kidd said. “He’s fighting through injury and doing whatever he can to help his team. With the injuries he’s had, he’s still going out there and giving everything he has.”

Naji Marshall said the trip still provided valuable growth.

“Learning how to play with each other. Learning how to close games,” Marshall said. “We do so many good things to put ourselves in position to win. We’ve played a lot of close games. Obviously it’s not good to be on the side we’re on right now, but it gets greater later. It’s a learning process. It’s a gift and a curse.”

Marshall added that injuries cannot become an excuse.

“That’s not an excuse,” he said. “You build a roster for things like that. Guys have to step up. We put ourselves in position. We just gotta finish games and win.”

Looking Ahead to Philadelphia

Dallas faced Philadelphia earlier this month and struggled to contain dribble penetration, something Kidd said must change.

“We have to do a better job guarding the ball,” Kidd said. “We didn’t do that. Embiid was out, so when Embiid’s in, it’s a different game. But when you look at how Philly played, they played at a high level. Both Maxey and Oubre were very, very good. We’ve got to keep those guys out of the paint.”

Asked about the challenge posed by Joel Embiid, Kidd pointed to his versatility.

“When you look at what he did last night in Memphis, being able to shoot it, he can post, he can pass,” Kidd said. “The touches he gets, he can put the ball in the basket. He’s been doing that his whole career.”

Marshall emphasized the defensive focus required against Philadelphia’s guards.

“Bodies. Communication. Loading up. Following the game plan,” Marshall said. “We just gotta keep doing the right things over and over.”

Growth From the Young Core

Kidd also highlighted the development of Cooper Flagg, particularly his comfort shooting from deep and his decision-making under pressure.

“He’s getting more comfortable,” Kidd said. “He’s being aggressive looking to shoot the three. In Sacramento, the first half wasn’t his best, but there are two halves. He scored 15 in the fourth. He sees how teams are playing him, and when the three presents itself, he’s taking it.”

Kidd said Flagg’s overall growth has stood out.

“His demeanor and playmaking,” Kidd said. “He makes a heck of a play late — finds Naji wide open. It was the right play. We just didn’t knock it down.”

Marshall echoed that assessment, noting how Flagg has adjusted to increased defensive attention.

“I’m very impressed,” Marshall said. “He’s young but understands adjustments. From his first game to now, he’s a totally different player. He adapts game by game. He’s seen almost every defense already. He makes the right plays. It’s impressive, and I look forward to growing with him.”

Reset With Anthony Davis Back

As Dallas turns the page to 2026, Kidd believes Davis’ return can help stabilize both ends of the floor and reinforce the chemistry that was forming earlier in the month.

“A lot of it is chemistry,” Kidd said. “When guys get minutes with AD, relationships are created. Hopefully we can pick up where that left off. I thought him and Cooper were starting to play at a very high level. We won some big games against talented teams. Having AD helps us win ball games.”

Marshall pointed to the defensive foundation Davis provides.

“We were a really big group,” Marshall said. “It’s hard to score in the paint. We get good shots — AD, Klay, Coop, Max. There’s a lot of gravity. Defensively, it lets us pressure the ball knowing we’ve got Gaff and PJ back there.”

Dallas hosts Philadelphia on Thursday, aiming to apply the lessons learned on the road while reintegrating a key piece as it looks to turn close games into wins.

Latest Dallas Mavericks News & NBA Rumors

Tags :Anthony DavisDallas MavericksJason KiddMavericks PracticeNBANBA NewsPhiladelphia 76ers
Grant Afseth

Grant Afseth

Senior Writer
Grant Afseth is a Senior Writer for DallasHoopsJournal.com, where he leads in-depth coverage of the Mavericks, Wings, and more. Between a focus on the latest news, closer looks at games, front office strategy, and more, Afseth provides objective coverage. Afseth contributes broader NBA coverage across platforms and has been cited in national outlets for his reporting and analysis. With nearly a decade of journalism experience, Afseth has covered the NBA and WNBA for multiple major outlets, including Athlon Sports, BallIsLife, Sportskeeda, and RG.org. He previously reported on the Indiana Pacers for CNHI’s Kokomo Tribune and the Mavericks for FanNation.
view all posts

You Might Also Like