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Mavericks’ Anthony Davis suffers injury in debut following blockbuster trade

The Dallas Mavericks suffered a case of awful luck on Saturday.

Anthony Davis, the team’s acquisition in its stunning trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, suffered a groin injury in the team’s win over the Houston Rockets. He left the game early and was ruled out for Monday’s contest against the Sacramento Kings.

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Mavericks forward Anthony Davis handles the game ball against the Houston Rockets, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Davis may be out longer.

ESPN reported that Davis suffered a left adductor strain and that he could be out for a few weeks. The power forward tried to downplay concern about the ailment.

“Just the leg got tight, like a little spasm,” he said after the game against the Rockets. “Just came back and tried to get it loose and everything. Obviously, dealing with the ab strain still, so just tried to get it loose. It wouldn’t really loosen up and let go, but it’s nothing serious. I’m fine.”

Mavericks forward Anthony Davis waits for a timeout in front of the bench during the Houston Rockets game, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

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The concern about Davis’ health comes amid the Mavericks’ trade of Luka Doncic. The deal stunned the rest of the league and fans of the NBA. It resonated so much that NFL stars were left just as confused as anyone while at Super Bowl LIX radio row in New Orleans last week.

Davis isn’t a scrub in his own right. The nine-time All-Star played 76 games during the 2023-24 season but has missed at least 20 games in each of the last five seasons.

Mavericks forward Anthony Davis leaves the game, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

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He averaged 25.7 points, 12 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game in 43 games this season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

February 10, 2025
Anthony Davis leaves Mavericks debut with injury after being traded for Luka Dončić

Dallas Mavericks fans were hostile Saturday during the team’s first home game since Luka Dončić was traded.

The 25-year-old reigning scoring champion was sent to the Los Angeles Lakers, who gave up Anthony Davis in return.

Davis made his Dallas debut Saturday amid protests and chants calling for the firing of general manager Nico Harrison outside before the game.

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Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis leaves a game against the Houston Rockets during the third quarter at the American Airlines Center. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)

It all started as Harrison had imagined. Davis dominated the first half with 24 points and 13 rebounds.

However, less than four minutes into the third quarter, Davis appeared to injure his groin. Davis had been out with an abdominal strain earlier in the week.

Davis went down without contact as Alperen Sangun of the Houston Rockets drove past him for a layup. Davis grabbed his groin area as he walked slowly toward the offensive end and stayed in the corner near the Dallas bench while his team ran the offense.

Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis celebrates during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets at American Airlines Center. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)

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Davis didn’t try to go back the other way after the Rockets regained possession. The Mavericks committed a foul to stop the clock and get Davis out of the game. He stayed in the bench area briefly before leaving the court, and he was not spotted on the bench in the fourth quarter.

The 31-year-old big man has had injury issues in the past, but he did play in a career-high 76 games last year.

Anthony Davis of the Dallas Mavericks reacts after an injury in a game against the Houston Rockets at American Airlines Center Feb. 8, 2025, in Dallas, Texas. (Tim Heitman/Getty Images)

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The Mavs got a 116-105 win, but surely their fans are holding their breath.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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February 9, 2025
Lakers, Mavericks pull off wild blockbuster as Luka Dončić, Anthony Davis swap teams: reports

The NBA world was hit with perhaps the craziest trade in a generation in the wee hours of Sunday morning.

According to multiple reports, the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks came to an agreement to swap Luka Dončić and Anthony Davis as part of a three-team blockbuster deal.

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The Lakers received Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris, while the Mavericks took on Davis, Max Christie, and Los Angeles’ 2029 first-round pick.

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Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball against Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half of the game at American Airlines Center on February 26, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

To settle it all out, the Utah Jazz acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.

ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the trade early Sunday morning, and because of the starpower involved, the immediate reaction was that the reporter had been hacked. However, it was later confirmed by multiple other outlets.

Charania reported that the Mavs approached Los Angeles recently, saying their 25-year-old global superstar was available via trade; Dallas general manager Nico Harrison told ESPN that he was concerned about the team’s defense, which is now massively improved by replacing Dončić with Davis.

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts after a play during the first half in Game 4 of the NBA basketball finals against the Boston Celtics, Friday, June 14, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

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But Dončić is a phenomenon, and a young one at that. The Slovenian led the NBA with 33.4 points per game last season and won’t turn 26 until later this month. In his career, he averages 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists, putting himself in the MVP conversation every year of his young career.

It was also reported that LeBron James did not find out about the trade until shortly before the news broke, while he was out to dinner in New York shortly after his Lakers defeated the New York knicks – Davis was ruled inactive for the game.

Davis, a defensive player of the year candidate last year, is putting up 25.7 points and 11.9 rebounds this season, both slightly better than his career averages of 24.2 and 10.7.

Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers talks to the media after winning the In-Season Tournament Championship game against the Indiana Pacers on December 9, 2023 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)

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The Mavericks lost in the NBA Finals last year, and Dončić received some criticism for his defense and attitude. Perhaps there is more to the story than what’s public right now.

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February 2, 2025
Raiders owner Mark Davis says Jon Gruden’s resignation set organization back: ‘His head was chopped off’

Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis hired Jon Gruden as head coach in 2018, locking him with a massive 10-year contract with the confidence that bringing Gruden back would bring stability and success to the organization.

Instead, Gruden would be forced to resign years later over an email scandal – a sequence of events that Davis believes largely set the organization back.

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Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, left, talks to team owner Mark Davis before the Raiders play the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on Aug. 21, 2021. (Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports)

Speaking to the media on Monday, Davis praised the additions of new head coach Pete Carroll and new general manager John Spytek. However, he also praised the team’s new “infrastructure,” which includes Tom Brady as a minority owner.

“Bringing in Tom Brady was bringing in somebody that was on the football side that I had been lacking having here at the organization,” Davis said.

“Back in 2018 with Jon Gruden, he was someone that I brought in and really expected to be that person on the football side that would bring stability to the organization. He had a 10-year contract and all that – and his head was chopped off.”

Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, left, speaks with owner Mark Davis before the game against the Denver Broncos at Oakland Coliseum on Dec. 24, 2018. (Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)

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Gruden, who is currently suing the NFL, resigned after leaked emails sent by the former head coach included racist, misogynistic and homophobic remarks directed at NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith, among others.

Davis said that Gruden’s resignation in 2021 triggered a series of turnovers in the organization.

“We were put in a really bad position as an organization. And we tried to get it right with Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler – that didn’t work out. Antonio Pierce was given the interim job and I believe the job that he did as an interim coach warranted him earning the job as head coach of the Raiders… We just felt that it was time for a change.”

Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll speaks at a press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center on Jan. 27, 2025. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

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Davis said Monday that he believes Brady fills the void left behind by Gruden and that the new personnel brought in will have the lasting effect he had hoped for in 2018.

“We want to build something here. That’s been the process and mindset all along. Like I said, that got offset or kind of blown up when Jon Gruden was sent away. So, we’ve been trying to get it right since then. We’ll see, but I’ve got patience to get it right.”

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Carroll takes over as the team’s 14th head coach since Gruden was traded to Tampa Bay in 2002. He is the fifth coach, including those in an interim role, since the Raiders moved to Las Vegas in 2020.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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January 29, 2025