Dallas Mavericks star Anthony Davis is set to make his return against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday after missing 14 games with a left calf strain. The 10-time All-Star has averaged 20.8 points and 10.2 rebounds in five games this season. This matchup marks Davis's first game against his former team since the blockbuster trade for Luka Dončić.
Anthony Davis, who joined the Dallas Mavericks in a trade from the Los Angeles Lakers last February, has been sidelined since suffering a left calf strain on October 29 during a 107-105 win over the Indiana Pacers. He was reevaluated on November 16 and cleared to return for the Mavericks' visit to the Lakers on Friday at 10 p.m. ET on Prime Video. Reports from ESPN's Shams Charania and The Stein Line confirm Davis's activation after missing 14 games, during which Dallas went 3-11.
In his limited action this season, Davis has posted strong numbers over five games: 20.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game, shooting 52% from the field and 27.3% from three-point range. The Mavericks were 2-3 with him in the lineup and sit at 5-14 overall, tied with the Sacramento Kings for the second-worst record in the Western Conference.
Davis played just 14 games for Dallas last season after an adductor strain in his debut sidelined him for 18 contests; he returned for the final eight as the team missed the playoffs. On the other side, the Lakers hold a 13-4 record and the second spot in the West, led by Luka Dončić's 35.2 points, 9.2 assists, and 8.8 rebounds per game. Dončić helped the Lakers secure the No. 3 seed last postseason before a first-round exit.
The Mavericks recently fired president of basketball operations Nico Harrison, who orchestrated the trade, and have shifted to a GM-by-committee approach involving Mark Cuban. Cuban stated there is no desire to trade Davis despite the slow start and his injury history.