The Dallas Mavericks released another crowded injury report ahead of Monday’s visit to the Miami Heat, and once again, the updates reflect both progress and new complications for a team still searching for stability.

Anthony Davis has been upgraded to doubtful after missing the last 13 games with a left calf strain — the closest he has come to returning since late October.

Dereck Lively II remains out, and his designation has shifted from right knee injury management to right foot injury management, a notable update given his offseason procedure to clean up bone spurs in that same foot. Lively had previously been managing a right knee sprain sustained earlier in the season, making the new listing one the Mavericks will monitor closely.

Meanwhile, the backcourt picture has become more complicated.

Dallas Mavericks Navigate Fresh Guard Issues as Minutes Pile Up

Dallas could feel the impact if Brandon Williams is unable to play through his low back tightness. He has recently stepped into a starting role and been one of the few steadying forces in an injury-thinned backcourt. Williams has averaged 10.9 points, 3.9 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 16 games, and he provided 18 points, three rebounds and four assists in Saturday’s loss to Memphis. Losing him, even for a night, would stretch a rotation already short on ball-handling.

The Mavericks did get one welcome development: D’Angelo Russell is officially off the injury report after missing two games due to illness. And in another positive step, Ryan Nembhard has been upgraded to questionable after previously being out. His availability would offer meaningful relief on a night where Williams’ status is uncertain and both Kyrie Irving (left knee surgery) and Danté Exum (right knee injury management) remain sidelined.

This stretch has been defined by constant adjustments and overextended guards, a trend Brandon Williams addressed after Saturday’s physical, chippy matchup.

“A lot of it is on us guards… coming back in and helping the bigs,” Williams said.

Jason Kidd echoed the strain, noting the team’s need for energy on quick turnarounds.

“We need that energy, especially on back-to-backs,” Kidd said. “We tend to come out a little flat.”

League-Wide Injuries Mirror the Dallas Mavericks’ Challenges

The Mavericks aren’t navigating this landscape alone. A growing list of star players across the NBA have missed significant time, including Ja Morant, Victor Wembanyama, Trae Young, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paolo Banchero, and Jalen Williams. Recently returned players — like LeBron James, Zion Williamson and De’Aaron Fox — spent extended periods out. Several others, including Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Halliburton, are out for the year.

Soft-tissue injuries have become one of the league’s most discussed topics, and Jason Kidd believes the modern game’s rhythm plays a major role.

“Teams are playing extremely fast on makes and misses,” Kidd said last week. “I don’t know if it’s the pace that’s the problem. I think it’s more the workout. We have to train at a higher speed if you’re going to play at this pace.”

Kidd added that while nutrition and technology continue to advance, training patterns may not fully prepare players for the speed at which NBA games are now played.

“You go from zero to 100… we’re not training that way in training camp or in the summer,” Kidd said. “Then we’re asking them to go above the speed limit and play fast. I think that puts everyone in harm’s way.”

Cooper Flagg Continues Steady Growth Amid the Chaos

Even as the rotation shifts nightly, Cooper Flagg remains a consistent bright spot. The top pick is averaging 16.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists while shooting 45.7 percent from the field, showing comfort in roles that were shaky during the season’s earliest stretch. Kidd has noticed Flagg’s improvement as a part-time initiator.

“The more time he goes through being a quarterback, you can see he’s getting comfortable,” Kidd said. “There’s going to be times when he (turns) the ball over, but it’s not with ill intent. He’s trying to do the right thing.”

Dallas enters Miami having played 11 games in 18 days, a grueling stretch marked by injuries, constant reshuffling and heavy minutes for players thrust into larger roles. Veteran Klay Thompson summed it up after Saturday’s loss while reflecting on the team’s broader health challenges.

“We’ll be healthy one day,” Thompson said. “And I’m very excited for that day, whenever that is.”

For now, the Mavericks continue to adjust — waiting for the night when the injury report finally begins to shrink rather than expand.

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