CHICAGO — The Mavericks will wait with bated breath while they assess the severity of the latest injury suffered by Anthony Davis.
Davis left Thursday’s loss to the Utah Jazz in the game’s final minutes after a collision with Lauri Markkanen left him clutching his left hand, the latest setback for the Mavericks big man who’s dealt with several injuries since he was acquired nearly a year ago.
Davis will receive medical imaging on his hand Friday, according to a report by NBA insider Marc Stein.
It was just Christmas Day when Davis left a nationally televised showdown against the Golden State Warriors because of right adductor soreness, which kept him out of the final two games of 2025. Not to mention, Davis suffered an adductor strain in his Mavericks debut that sidelined him for 18 games. His new look, apparent by his protective eyewear, is to protect the right eye that required offseason surgery.
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Earlier this season, Davis missed 14 consecutive games because of a left calf strain, forcing the Mavericks to adapt to playing without him yet again.
They may be forced to do so Saturday night against the Chicago Bulls, which marks Davis’ annual return to his hometown. The Bulls (17-20) were required to postpone Thursday’s game against the Miami Heat because condensation on the floor rendered their court at United Center unplayable.
If Davis is unable to play, the Mavericks will rely on their 19-year-old rookie as the next man up. Cooper Flagg is coming off one of his most balanced games of his career, nearly recording his first triple-double against the Jazz. He finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, three steals and one block, making an impact on every area of the floor. He’s also been one of the most reliable Mavericks this season, appearing in every game this season except for one, which was because of an illness.
Dallas could also benefit from a return from P.J. Washington, who has missed the first two games of its three-game road trip because of a right ankle sprain suffered in last Saturday’s win over the Houston Rockets. The seventh-year forward tried to encourage his teammates as Davis received treatment on the bench, before his eventual exit from the game.
It is unclear how much time Davis will miss, if any, but the Mavericks could use performances from Flagg similar to Thursday’s until the Feb. 5 trade deadline. The timing of Davis’ latest injury isn’t ideal as he stands as the Mavericks’ most valuable trade asset. His future with the franchise has been a constant topic of discussion since the franchise parted ways with Nico Harrison, who orchestrated the trade to bring him to Dallas.
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It’s been widely reported that Davis’ agent, Rich Paul, desires to negotiate a contract extension for his client, either in Dallas or elsewhere, but the latest injury doesn’t help the case for teams wishing to pursue him.
Davis has played in 29 out of 71 regular season games since he joined the Mavericks. The Mavericks are 10-10 this season with Davis in the lineup and 4-14 in games played without him.
Long before he was spotted in the tunnel bent over to nurse his latest injury, Davis attempted to play through the injury. He agonized in pain on offense, as he tried to set screens while holding his hand, and on defense as he ran back down the floor supporting his left hand with his right.
This isn’t Davis’ first hand injury. He dealt with two separate injuries to his left index finger in 2020 when he was with the Lakers.
Thursday marked the 800th career start for Davis, who’s in his 14th NBA season. It was also the 900th career game for Klay Thompson, who had a vintage performance Thursday with 23 points off the bench with six 3-pointers. He talked about the challenge of playing without Davis.
“That’s the go-to guy, especially toward the end of games,” Thompson said. “Get him in his favorite spots and he can rise and score over anybody. I thought it was tough.”
Saturday should be another homecoming for Davis, but it’s entirely possible he could be forced to watch the game from the bench, which has become a familiar sight for the Mavericks.
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