Anthony Davis had a realization after his pregame nap on Wednesday afternoon: it was time to play without hesitation. The Dallas Mavericks star decided to put his lingering adductor strain behind him and go all out against the Atlanta Hawks.
“Whatever happens, happens,” Davis said. “Just go out there and play with a lot of energy, a lot of force, a lot of dominance.”
And that’s exactly what he did. The 10-time All-Star delivered his best performance since joining the Mavericks, scoring 34 points, grabbing 15 rebounds, and blocking five shots—both Dallas highs for him. Despite missing most of the second quarter due to an elbow to the face, Davis powered the Mavericks to a crucial 120-118 comeback win.
A True Leader on the Court
Davis set the tone early, scoring 13 points in the first quarter. However, a collision with teammate Daniel Gafford left him on the floor in pain at the end of the period. He was taken to the locker room and received four stitches above his right eye before returning just before halftime.
“Probably my first time getting cut open,” Davis said with a smirk. “Us Chicago kids are pretty tough.”
His resilience shined through in the closing moments. With 3.4 seconds left, Davis sealed the victory with a clutch floater—a shot he’s perfected over the years.
“A shot that I’ve been shooting for a long time,” he said. “It’s a shot I’m very confident in.”
After defending Atlanta’s final shot, Davis crashed into the scorer’s table while lunging at Trae Young, whose 26-foot three-point attempt fell short. Young, who had 25 points, managed just four in the second half under Davis’ defensive presence.
A Season of Challenges, A Team on the Rise
Dallas has battled adversity all season. A few weeks ago, the team was on the brink of missing the playoffs entirely, struggling with injuries and roster changes. Luka Dončić’s departure to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 1 was a major shake-up, and Kyrie Irving’s season-ending knee injury on March 3 added to the uncertainty.
But Davis’ return last week, along with reinforcements in Gafford and Dereck Lively II, has given the Mavericks new life. With five games left, they now sit comfortably in ninth place in the Western Conference, holding a 2.5-game lead over 11th-place Phoenix.
“With the guys we have, we definitely have enough to make some noise,” Davis said.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd praised Davis’ growing confidence, noting that his minutes restriction had been bumped up to 32, though he played only 30 due to the injury scare.
“It’s good to see that he’s starting to get in a rhythm,” Kidd said. “He was assertive from the beginning.”
Dallas fans can breathe a little easier knowing Davis is back—and ready to lead the Mavericks on a late-season push.