SAN FRANCISCO — Anthony Davis was already in pain by the time Naji Marshall’s pass was in the air.
The Mavericks big man clinched his teeth and immediately grabbed his groin before heading to the bench. For the second consecutive year, he couldn’t finish a game on Christmas Day against the Golden State Warriors because of an injury.
Davis suffered a right groin strain in Thursday’s loss to the Warriors, a person familiar with the injury confirmed to The Dallas Morning News. There is no definitive timetable for his return, but he will continue to work out in an effort to play within the next few days.
The Mavericks are expected to take a cautious approach with Davis’ recovery so it’s likely he misses the final two games of their three-game road trip. The team will remain in California for their first meeting of the season with the Sacramento Kings, followed by their calendar year finale against the Portland Trail Blazers.
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The timing of Davis’ second non-contact injury of the season is less than ideal. He was in the midst of playing his best stretch of basketball since returning from a left calf strain that caused him to miss 14 games in November. Davis averaged 20.4 points and 11.2 rebounds with 1.1 steals and 1.7 blocks in 11 games since returning to the lineup on Nov. 28 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
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The Mavericks are also in a pivotal period of evaluating their roster with less than 41 days until the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline. Davis is a significant trade target and his status is expected to be monitored closely until the deadline expires. A setback could possibly dim his trade value, although the Mavericks are operating with the intention to remain competitive for the remainder of the season.
So, what does this mean for Dallas in the interim?
Well, the Mavericks have been down this road before so the messaging remains the same: Next man up. That phrase has become commonplace for Jason Kidd and the rest of the franchise dating back to last season’s injury crisis that began with Davis suffering an adductor strain in his Mavericks debut. Davis has been plagued by multiple muscle strains since he was acquired by former general manager Nico Harrison.
In his absence, Daniel Gafford will be reinserted as the team’s starting center, likely in a first unit alongside Ryan Nembhard, Naji Marshall, P.J. Washington and Cooper Flagg, who led the Mavericks in his Christmas Day debut with 27 points, six rebounds and five assists.
“It’s tough,” Flagg said. “It’s really unfortunate for us. I feel like we’re a better team with him on the court and when he’s playing at his best. Obviously tough, but we gotta have a next man up mentality and try to fill the hole the best we can.”
Asked Cooper Flagg about Anthony Davis’ groin injury:
“It’s tough. It’s really unfortunate for us. I feel like we’re a better team with him on the court & when he’s playing at his best. Obviously tough, but we gotta have a next man up mentality & try to fill the hole the best we… pic.twitter.com/4YSVakiZD3
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) December 26, 2025
Flagg and the rest of the Mavericks will receive an opportunity to fill the void left by Davis, but the 19-year-old rookie appears to be ready for the challenge. He’s played in 31 of 32 games and is averaging 19.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Since his 35-point explosion on Nov. 29, he’s totaling 25.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4. 3 assists on 54% shooting.
Brandon Williams also scored a season-high 26 points against Golden State. His team could use that type of production going forward.
There are immediate ramifications since Davis played just under 11 minutes on Christmas Day. He has played in just 16 of Dallas’ 32 games this season, but he’s appeared in two games and finished with less than 15 minutes. Therefore, he is ineligible for the NBA’s regular season awards and honors. Players must play at least 65 games to qualify.
Thursday’s injury marks the 13th groin-related injury of Davis’ career. His average missed time for those type of ailments is 2.7 games (8 days), according to Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes, which is slightly better than the league average for nondescript groin strains that sits at 3.6 games (9.7 days).
Dallas is 8-8 with Davis in the lineup, which has contributed to seven wins in their last 12 games. Without him, the Mavericks are just 4-12.
Luckily for the Mavericks, the Kings are currently the worst team in the Western Conference and the Blazers are in the Play-In picture, so there’s a chance that they’ll be able to weather this short period of time without him.
Mavericks’ Anthony Davis sustains minor groin strain, aims to return soonCharles Barkley suggests Mavs should ‘move on’ from Anthony Davis, turn to Cooper Flagg
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