Will Anthony Davis Make Mavericks Debut Against Celtics After Latest Injury Update?

When the Dallas Mavericks play against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Thursday night, it’ll mark the first time they’ll play at the iconic venue since losing Game 5 of the NBA Finals. While many of the names that had confetti falling on them as they walked off the floor will not avenge the loss, including now Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Dončić, there is anticipation for the possibility of the team’s new star, Anthony Davis, making his Mavericks debut.

The Mavericks upgraded Davis on the injury report to questionable as he continues to recover from an abdominal muscle strain. Dallas will remain without P.J. Washington (personal reasons), Dereck Lively II (right ankle stress fracture), Dwight Powell (right hip strain), and Caleb Martin (trade pending). However, Daniel Gafford, who went to the locker room holding his shoulder late in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s 118-116 loss against the Philadelphia 76ers, did participate and said it was “just a stinger.”

Davis did not fully participate in Wednesday’s practice at Temple University before the team left Philadelphia for Boston. However, it allowed everyone involved to learn more about their responsibilities as they established a foundation together.

“Just trying to figure out what works with both of us on the floor,” Daniel Gafford said. “Just getting through the defensive concepts, offensive concepts. Everything is just kind of like piling up, and we’re building a foundation of the new roster.”

Part of Davis’ excitement about his opportunity with the Mavericks is that he’ll be playing power forward much more than he did with the Lakers. No matter his position, he’s one of the most impactful players in the NBA, averaging 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.1 blocks this season.

“Obviously, Dereck (Lively II) is dealing with an injury, but Gaff (Daniel Gafford) is playing phenomenally. So I think that’s the plan, but we’ll see how it goes,” Davis said. “Right now, I’m just excited to get back to playing basketball. Given the whole trade thing but also the injury, each time I’m on the floor, I feel better. But I haven’t played power forward in a long time since I was first in LA. To be back at the four, I’m excited to see how it goes.”

Under the version of the roster featuring Dončić, Gafford was heavily utilized as a vertical lob threat while also being an offensive hub in some Delay sets. As injuries have piled up in recent months, Gafford has been used more as a scoring threat. He will need to adjust next to Davis in the frontcourt again, but he’s embracing it.

“It’s just going to be a dope experience,” Gafford said of playing with Davis. “I’ve had somewhat of an experience kind of doing the same thing when I was in Washington playing with [Kristaps Porziņģis]. We both shared the floor… So I’ve got a decent amount of experience playing with a guy like my size out there playing at the four.

“Great acquisition, man—just having such a great player to be on the side of me out there on the floor and just learning and soaking up as much as much knowledge as I can from him,” Gafford explained. “Just be able to withstand the stuff that goes on the day-to-day. It’s just something that I look forward to as from a guy of his caliber, honestly.”

Davis’s skill set is one that Gafford strongly respects, given he can make plays off the dribble in ways other bigs cannot. He likened Davis’ uncanny talent to being an evaluation of the center position with what a point guard can do.

“He can handle the rock a little bit, and he can shoot the ball—all of the above,” Gafford said of Davis. “It’s stuff that you would expect as if a big man were to evolve into somewhat of a point guard-like center.”

Kyrie Irving described Davis as an “MVP candidate” and expects a substantial impact from him both on and off the court. Bringing Davis into the fold has only helped Irving stay motivated despite Dončić’s departure.

“Getting AD, getting Max Christie, definitely helps my motivation and keeps my mentality very strong,” Irving said. “He’s a great player, Anthony Davis, in terms of an MVP candidate. And I’m going to help him as much as I can, not just on the court but off the court.”

If Davis cannot play against the Celtics, his next chance to make his Mavericks debut will be Saturday against the Houston Rockets at the American Airlines Center.