Two games into the 2025-2026 NBA season, Jason Kidd was asked about Anthony Davis’ health status. The Dallas Mavericks coach made an interesting statement that has left much room for interpretation and criticism. Fans who have been following the start of the season will know that the Mavericks are not doing too well.
Despite adding a generational talent like Cooper Flagg to their lineup, the Mavericks have yet to secure their first win of the season. They are coming off losses to the San Antonio Spurs and the Washington Wizards. While that may frustrate the Mavericks’ fan base, some good news surrounds the fact that Anthony Davis is healthy and has been available for the team. During a recent interview, Kidd discussed Davis’ current health and conditioning.
Is Anthony Davis Fully Healthy for the Mavericks?
Over the past several seasons of his career, particularly since joining the Los Angeles Lakers, Davis has been criticized for his fragility and inability to remain healthy. He began to establish a reputation as an injury-prone player, a label that has persisted even after he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks.
In the Mavericks’ season opener against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, Davis recorded 22 points and 13 rebounds in 32 minutes of action. In his next game, Davis put up 27 points and 13 rebounds in 38 minutes of action.
Although many stars across the league are capable of exceeding 40 minutes a game, especially in the early stages of the season, Kidd revealed that Davis is still returning to form and that placing a slight restriction on his playing time was the right decision.
“Yeah, I think again he’s been out with his surgery. So I think he’s working…Playing 36 minutes last night will help with that conditioning. Playing PJ (Washington) 39 minutes is not something that we want to do. So a lot of those guys were probably tired and made some mental mistakes but I’d rather that happen now than later..”
Kidd concluded that Davis was trending in the right direction and rapidly returning to shape. While the Mavericks’ head coach attempted to put a positive spin on the situation, fans quickly attacked him and the organization for trading away Luka Dončić and offering claims that he was not in peak shape.
The Mavericks’ fanbase does not like Davis not being held to the same standard and giving him a longer leash. They remember that Davis underwent eye surgery this offseason.
In any case, the Mavericks are far from completely healthy with Kyrie Irving sidelined. It would be in their best interest to take things slowly to ensure that Davis avoids any other injury. Fans are left hoping that the team can remain in contention for a spot in the postseason while doing the same.
