Dallas, Feb 9 Anthony Davis' highly anticipated debut for the Dallas Mavericks ended prematurely due to a non-contact injury during their 116-105 victory over the Houston Rockets.
The 31-year-old forward joined Dallas from the Los Angeles Lakers last week in a blockbuster trade involving NBA All-Star Luka Doncic. Despite fan protests over Doncic’s move to the Lakers, Davis delivered an impressive performance, recording 26 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists before exiting the game.
Davis went down clutching his lower body late in the third quarter while attempting to defend a driving dunk by Houston’s Alperen Sengun. Mavericks teammates Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving contributed 13 points each to the win.
Having missed Dallas’ previous game against the Boston Celtics due to an abdominal strain suffered in his final appearance with the Lakers on January 28, Davis received a warm welcome from the home crowd when he assisted Daniel Gafford early in the first quarter.
The Mavericks built a commanding 65-48 halftime lead, but Houston mounted a third-quarter comeback, cutting the deficit to just two points. However, key three-pointers from Naji Marshall and clutch plays by Irving helped Dallas regain control and hand the Rockets their sixth straight loss.
After the game, Davis reassured reporters that his injury was minor, saying, “My leg got tight, like a little spasm. I came back to try to loosen it up while still dealing with the abdominal strain, but it’s nothing serious. I’m fine.”
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