The 32-year-old limped off after stretching for a fast break. Darren Yamashita / Imagn Images.
For a second straight year, a Dallas Mavericks star player was forced to leave the team’s Christmas Day game with a lower-body injury.
Last season, Luka Dončić suffered a left calf strain against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 25, which ended up being the last game he played with Dallas before the Mavericks traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers.
This year, Anthony Davis, the key player the Mavericks acquired in the Dončić trade, had to exit Dallas’ game against the Golden State Warriors early in the second quarter with what the team described as “right groin spasms.”
Davis was trying to run the floor on a fast break when he came up limping and headed for the Mavericks’ bench at the 8:50 mark in the second quarter. A Mavericks trainer examined Davis, who then headed to the team’s locker room during a stoppage in play and never returned to the floor. The Mavericks ruled him out shortly after halftime. Davis’ afternoon ended after he scored three points in 11 minutes.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd did not have an update on Davis’ status when asked after the game.
“Obviously, it’s really unfortunate for us,” Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg said. “I feel like we’re a better team on the court when he’s playing at his best. Obviously, tough but we got (to have) next man up mentality and fill the hole the best we can.”
The 32-year-old forward has already been sidelined for 16 games this season, primarily due to a left calf strain he suffered in October. Before Thursday’s game, the Mavericks had a 8-7 record when Davis played and a 4-12 record when he sat.
Davis has been able to play in only 27 of a possible 67 games since the Mavericks acquired him from the Lakers in February. He missed six weeks last season while he recovered from a left adductor strain.
— Nick Friedell contributed to this story