The 2025-26 NBA season has already gotten off to a rough start for superstar big man Anthony Davis, formerly of the Los Angeles Lakers and currently with the Dallas Mavericks, as he has played in only five games thus far due to a calf injury he has been dealing with.
Even though Davis is among the NBA’s elite players when he’s healthy, he’s rarely been healthy, as he played in only 51 games for the Lakers in 2024-25 and then played the exact total last season, suiting up just nine times for the Mavericks in the regular season after being traded by Los Angeles in the blockbuster deal involving Luka Dončić.
Anthony Davis Hopes To Make Return Against Lakers
With Davis receiving a lot of criticism for missing games over the years and dealing with all that came with being traded for Dončić, the one-time NBA champion is anxious to get back on the floor to face his old team, via Bleacher Report.
Returning from calf injuries, especially for players who are prone to injuries and have a lot of miles on their bodies, can be risky, as at times a player can return too soon and suffer a severe injury like a torn Achilles tendon. It has happened numerous times over the past few years, with the most recent examples being Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, and Tyrese Haliburton going down during the NBA playoffs last season.
That said, the Mavericks don’t appear to be in a rush to get Davis back on the floor, as it could come at a devastating loss. However, Davis might insist on returning to take on his former team back at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, as he’ll want to make his presence felt against the Lakers in the same way Dončić will be trying to do against the Mavericks on Friday.
In the five games he’s played so far this season, Davis is averaging 20.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 52 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from beyond the arc.
As for Dončić, the superstar guard is playing at an extremely high level right now while thrusting his name into the NBA MVP conversation. He is averaging 35.2 points (1st in the NBA), 8.8 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 47 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from deep.
The two superstars seem to be heading in different directions, but both still have an axe to grind heading into this matchup on Friday in Los Angeles.