As if this matchup needed more drama.
After missing the Mavericks’ past 14 games with a calf strain, Anthony Davis is expected to return to the lineup this evening in Los Angeles, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. Officially, Davis is still listed as questionable.
It feels like forever ago for Dallas fans, but Davis actually got off to a solid beginning in 2025-26, recording a double-double in all of his first four starts of the season. It was a span where Davis averaged 25.0 points and 11.8 rebounds per contest.
Without the big man, the Mavericks have struggled to do much offensively, coming into Friday’s action in possession of the league’s worst offensive rating (105.0). That said, the team owns the NBA’s third-best defensive rating (110.3), and it’ll now be re-adding a man who has made five All-Defense teams throughout his illustrious career. If Davis can stay healthy — a huge if — and Cooper Flagg can continue to find his rhythm at the professional level, a postseason run still isn’t out of the question for the 5-14 Mavs. I mean, the Grizzlies are the 10th seed in the West at the moment. It’s not like this is an impossible task.
Dallas is +800 to make the playoffs on the DraftKings Sportsbook.
