Dallas Mavericks Training Camp Notebook: Anthony Davis Sets Tone on Defense as Injuries, Standouts During Second Practice

Grant AfsethOctober 1, 2025October 5, 2025no comment

Photo by Rashad Miller/DallasHoopsJournal.com

Two practices into camp, the Dallas Mavericks are trying to turn size and depth into a defensive identity. The early emphasis is on communication and rebounding, and the tone is coming from the top.

Head coach Jason Kidd said the group’s energy and talk stood out during the evening workout. For a second practice of camp — one held at night, when focus can sometimes lag — Kidd emphasized that the volume and communication were far beyond what he usually expects this early. He viewed it as a sign that the roster understands the urgency of establishing habits now rather than easing into them.

“The talk was extremely good, above average, especially for the second day,” Kidd said. “Normally at the night practice, it might be a little quiet, but I thought the guys did a great job communicating. They’re telling on themselves, which is good. We’ve got more size, but it’s more than that to get it done.”

Kidd connected those conversations to a specific problem from last year: finishing possessions. He said that while Dallas often played with size on the floor, it didn’t consistently translate into securing rebounds and closing out stops. Too many defensive sequences, he explained, ended with the ball coming right back because of breakdowns on the glass.

“It’s about the want, and last year we weren’t very good every time the ball,” he said. “We could be a big team that’s still not rebounding the ball. So the effort that the guys are putting in, the talk, understanding that we’ve got to dominate the paint and dominate the defensive boards. The guys have done that.”

Offense Under Jay Triano’s Influence

While defense is the headline, the offense is being reshaped with Jay Triano’s Princeton-based principles. The Mavericks want to move the ball, change sides, and live in modern spacing that creates paint touches and corner threes. Kidd framed it as a shift in how Dallas occupies the floor and how fast it plays.

“When you look at the spacing here, we are a different team,” Kidd said. “So just creating space, being in the right spots, and then understanding what those spots mean. And just don’t hold onto the ball—attack. We play a little bit faster than we have in the past.”

Anthony Davis said the early offensive sessions have felt familiar, with an emphasis on moving the ball and creating space. He explained that the focus has been on getting players to their spots, opening up lanes, and keeping an attacking mindset — concepts he’s comfortable with but now being reinforced in camp.

“Ball movement. Getting to our spots and creating lanes for our guys,” Davis said. “We have a lot of guys who love basketball and can playmake. So the emphasis has been getting to our spots on the floor, opening up lanes for everyone, and then attacking the basket. You’re going to have gaps; we’re going to have lanes. Everyone on the floor has a mindset of attack. And then if the defense collapses, we should be able to blind pass to the spots we’re going to be at.”

Davis added that Dallas will use him as a hub in ways similar to how Sacramento features Domantas Sabonis, with teammates cutting and spotting up around his touches. The connection makes sense, since Triano came to Dallas this summer after working as an assistant with the Kings.

“That’s kind of been my style of play for longer. Nothing different,” Davis said. “If anything, with Jay Triano coming over and kind of how they used Sabonis as the hub, kind of the same thing. And guys just playing off of that.”

Day 2 Standouts & Injury Notes

The competitive blocks produced a few leaders. Kidd said Naji Marshall stood out with his playmaking and leadership for the white team, where D’Angelo Russell was also a vocal presence. On the opposite side, Dereck Lively II’s communication anchored the blue group.

“Day 2? I would say Naji was really good today. I thought his playmaking—he was really good leading that white team,” Kidd said. “[D’Angelo Russell] was on that white team. They were talking at a very high level. They won a lot of the games today. There were a couple other guys that stood out. I thought [Dereck Lively II] was good again. His voice, being on the blue team, I thought he did a great job.”

Lively is entering a larger lane in Year 3, and the Mavericks want more from him than just rim protection and rebounding. Kidd said the young center will be encouraged to expand his offensive confidence without losing his core job in the paint. That means continuing to dominate defensively, but also being unafraid to take the open looks that come within the flow of the offense.

“This is the growth about his—we all know he’s mature. We’re going to let him shoot,” Kidd said. “We want him to fight. We want him to be the champion of the paint. We want his leadership. I know this is his third year, so we’re asking a lot for a young player, but we believe he can handle it.”

Kidd said the staff’s experience is part of why the message is sticking. He pointed to the credibility that comes with assistants who have coached championship teams and guided high-level players throughout their careers. He added that the ability of coaches like Triano and Frank Vogel to communicate lessons with authority has made practices more productive.

“You can see it in practice. Everybody’s listening to Coach Jay and Coach Frank when they’re out there teaching,” Kidd said. “You’re talking about veteran coaches who understand what it takes to win, who’ve coached talented players and talented teams. It’s fun to have those guys on the staff, and you can see the respect that they give when they’re out teaching the drill.”

Dallas isn’t operating at full strength, but Kidd said the daily approach hasn’t dipped. Daniel Gafford sprained his ankle on Tuesday and is expected to miss two to three weeks. Brandon Williams has a hamstring strain and will be out for one week. Danté Exum has not practiced. Kyrie Irving remains out. P.J. Washington bumped his head but is expected to practice on Friday.

“We have some guys who did not practice today,” Kidd said. “Gafford sprained his ankle yesterday, so he’s out for two to three weeks. B Will has a hamstring strain, so he’s out for a week. Danté has not practiced. Kyrie’s out. And PJ bumped his head yesterday, but he’ll be ready to go on Friday.”

Anthony Davis Details Anchoring the Paint, Adjusting the Frame

Anthony Davis entered camp with two visible adjustments: protective glasses on his face and extra weight on his frame. Both, he said, were intentional choices stemming from an offseason dedicated to endurance and preparation. The glasses are new, but Davis insisted they haven’t disrupted his rhythm.

“I was working out with them all summer, so I’m starting to get used to them a little bit,” Davis said. “Making shots, so they feel pretty good. They don’t fog up. They’re tight behind the ear so they don’t fall off. I guess the adjustment is having something on my face—I’m used to being able to do whatever I want, see. But the adjustment’s been pretty easy.”

He acknowledged the wear and tear of a long season will test them, but he came prepared.

“I’m probably going to break several pairs this year for sure,” Davis said. “But I have a lot of backups.”

The other adjustment is less cosmetic. Davis came into camp heavier than his usual playing weight, explaining that he has learned over the years that the grind of the season quickly takes pounds off. He said his goal is to enter strong and let camp naturally trim him down.

“I feel good. I almost go into every season like this because I put on so much weight in the summer, and then by the time November comes I’m usually around 255, 258,” Davis said. “I never want to come in at my playing weight because then I lose weight during the season and I’m too small.”

The process has already started. Davis said he has already shed five pounds through the first days of camp, with the combination of running, scrimmaging, and practice intensity quickly bringing his frame closer to its natural playing weight. He explained that the yearly cycle of building up bulk in the summer and leaning out through camp has become part of how he prepares his body for the grind of an 82-game season and, ideally, a long playoff run.

“I try to go heavier because I lose about 10 to 12 pounds very quickly during camp. I’ve already lost five pounds with all the running and playing,” Davis said. “I’m never concerned about that. I feel great. I’m moving great. I feel good.”

If conditioning is one piece, defense is the other. Davis has made it clear the Mavericks’ target is simple: close the paint and end possessions. He believes the roster’s size across the board makes that realistic if the team commits to it every night.

“We’re a very athletic team. We’ve got a bunch of tall guys,” Davis said. “If we’re able to play defense with intensity, no one should be able to score in our paint. Even our guards are big. We’ve got a lot of size. If we’re able to play with our hands out, get deflections, be active, talk, we’ll be a great team defensively.”

The urgency was underscored by a blunt statistic shared in the first team meeting. Davis said he was surprised to learn just how poorly the Mavericks rebounded last season.

“I didn’t know this until they told us yesterday, first day of camp, that we were 30th in rebounding. I think we were last in rebounding, which is not good for the type of guys we have to rebound the basketball,” Davis said. “So there’s been a lot of focus on not watching the ball as it goes to the rim, but turning and finding a body and boxing out, and then going to locate the ball.”

For Dallas to take the next step defensively, Davis pointed to the role of Cooper Flagg. The 18-year-old rookie has already shown flashes of elite defensive versatility, and Davis said the Mavericks plan to test him against the league’s best wings right away.

“He looks comfortable. He can block shots and he can jump, he can rebound. He can defend one through five,” Davis said. “I had some conversations with him. I didn’t have vets like he does—like with myself, Klay, Caleb, Kyrie—where you can go to them and talk. I told him today in practice, we were doing a drill and he was hesitant about kicking the guy out, and I said, you’re very great defensively where you have the ability to grab him and throw him and tell him to get to his position. And we’ve got to be able to do that, not just because he’s a rookie, but because we want to win.”

Davis added that Flagg’s ability to cover ground will be critical in a league filled with elite scorers. He emphasized that matchups against players like Kevin Durant and Jimmy Butler will be part of the rookie’s early education, and that the Mavericks trust him to hold his own. Flagg’s length, mobility, and willingness to communicate give Dallas a rare piece who can plug gaps on the perimeter while still offering rim protection, a combination he believes will allow the team to survive breakdowns and push its ceiling higher.

“He has the talent to do so. He can cover a lot of ground—force guys get beat—he can cover up for us,” Davis said. “He has a lot of talent on both ends of the floor, but defensively, he’s going to show it. We’re going to put him in situations where you have to guard maybe the best wing—have to guard Durant or Jimmy Butler or these guys. And we have enough confidence in him to go out and send him out there and be able to guard those guys. But he’s also got help on the back line with the other four guys on the floor.”

The overall roster, Davis said, stands as one of the most talented of his career. He compared it to the championship team he helped lead in Los Angeles, citing depth as a major upgrade from last season.

“I know the easy question. I did win a championship—that was a really talented team,” Davis said. “But this is definitely one of two. I think the championship team and this team—there’s a lot of talent on this team. We have a lot of guys. We have depth. We’ve got about nine, ten guys who can literally play. Obviously. that’s going to be tough to do, especially when you get down to the playoffs—you cut that. But we have good problems where we’ve got enough guys. Last year, we had no bodies. Not nobody the person, but no bodies—actual bodies. So we’ve got a lot of talent. It looks good on paper, but we’ve got to go out and perform.”

D’Angelo Russell Impresses With Shotmaking and Leadership

From the opening practices in Vancouver, D’Angelo Russell has looked comfortable in his new setting. His shooting, playmaking, and communication have stood out enough that Jason Kidd singled him out as a veteran presence who immediately raised the group’s level.

“It’s good. It’s good. Camaraderie’s high. Think the energy’s high. A lot of guys are excited. Everybody’s excited. So you see that with our group,” Russell said.

Kidd agreed, pointing to Russell as a veteran whose shotmaking and leadership have been apparent from the first day. Kidd said the guard’s ability to score in multiple ways has already given the Mavericks a lift.

“Just being able to plug him in, I remember—use his term—his ability to play,” Kidd said. “He has a skill set that he can score, and it’s something that we need. I think he’s fit right in with this group. The first day he shot the lights out, put a lot of pressure on the defense. And then his talk—he’s been in this league, he understands what it takes to win. He’s done that since he’s been here. So it’s good to see.”

Kidd said the Mavericks are “happy to have him” because of the range of ways he can impact the game. Beyond his voice and veteran presence, Kidd emphasized that Russell’s versatility—whether initiating offense, spacing the floor as a shooter, or making reads off the dribble—fits naturally with the roster around him.

“We’re happy to have him because the skill set that he has—to be able to play off the dribble, to catch and shoot, the pass,” Kidd said. “Again, he’s a vet, he’s been in this league, and he understands what it takes to win.”

Russell said Dallas will join a league-wide trend of playing bigger, and he intends to complement the front line rather than hunt a label.

“To be on a team that has every ounce of a chance to win it all. You’ve got to do your part and figure out what your part is as soon as possible,” Russell said. “So for me, I’m just motivated—trying to figure out my role and figure out how I can help each individual guy. I know we’re going to put some funky lineups out there—just figuring out how we can manage it.”

Russell noted that the Mavericks are aligning with a broader league trend. Across the NBA, teams are leaning on size to dictate matchups and control the glass, and Dallas is no different. He said his role within that framework is less about chasing a position label and more about adapting to support the frontcourt depth around him.

“I don’t know about the key. I just know that’s what the league’s kind of transitioning into. A lot of teams are going big. We’ve got a good group of bigs right here. Why not start here?” Russell said. “And for guys like myself, just find a way to complement those guys.”

He also said he’s eager to finally share a court with Klay Thompson in meaningful minutes after narrowly missing the chance during his brief stint with Golden State. For Russell, the idea of playing alongside a shooter of Thompson’s caliber represents both a strategic advantage and a personal opportunity to unlock more within the Mavericks’ offense.

“I like the group. I consider myself a basketball player, not a point guard,” Russell said. “Anytime I can get out there and just be a basketball player, that may be passing, that may be scoring. But making high-level basketball plays—I think that’s contagious. Being versatile as a group. The guys you just named—we can add more to the tape. Being versatile, I think, makes our team harder to guard.”

Russell also reflected on what it means to reunite with Davis, a teammate he helped win the NBA Cup with in Los Angeles. He said Davis’ ability to control games on the defensive end simplifies the responsibilities for those around him, forcing teammates to focus on the details that complement his presence.

“He made the game super easy,” Russell said. “When you’re on different teams, you try to anticipate how you can do more on the defensive end to help the group. He does so much defensively. You try to just help him as much as you can. He leaves crumbs for you to help him, but you’ve got to find them each game. He does a lot, he plays a lot, plays hard. He does a lot for the group. Any way you can help him, it’s a cherry on the top.”

The Early Picture

Through two days in Vancouver, the Mavericks are loud in practice, direct about their shortcomings and leaning into structure on both ends. Kidd is asking for talk and glass work.

Triano is wiring in an offense that moves the ball and players. Davis is anchoring the interior while calibrating a frame built for the long season. Russell is treating versatility as his role.

The talent is there, as Davis said. The habits are forming, as Kidd insisted. The next step is consistency. If Dallas keeps stacking days like these, the identity it’s chasing — deeper, tougher, and defined by defense — won’t just be camp language. It will be what the Mavericks are.

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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.

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