After missing 14 games with a calf strain, Anthony Davis is set to make his return to the Mavericks lineup Friday in Los Angeles — and face the Lakers for the first time since the franchise traded him away last February for Luka Doncic.
Davis pointed toward this game as a return, and his status was moved to questionable on Thursday, a sign he would play. On Friday, Shams Charania of ESPN broke the news. This was the game Davis had been pointing to for a return, as he told Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News: “You know what game I want to play. But we’ll see. We’ll have a conversation and see what makes the most sense with the medical and coaching staff.”
Davis played in just five games this season before his calf injury sidelined him, but AD averaged 20.8 points and 10.2 rebounds a game when he did play, and the Mavericks were 2-3. They went 3-11 without him in the lineup. While he will play on Friday against the Lakers, he will not be cleared to play the back-to-back against the Clippers on Saturday.
Davis’ return to play was delayed due to a reported disagreement between Davis and his medical advisors, and the Mavericks’ medical staff, which wanted him to wait longer before returning. Dallas governor/owner Patrick Dumont stepped into the disagreement and sided with the Mavericks’ medical team.
Davis likely goes up against the Lakers’ Deandre Ayton up front. Ayton missed the last Lakers game with a knee contusion but has also been moved to questionable and is expected to play on Friday.