The Dallas Mavericks can’t catch a break this season. Anthony Davis has been out for an extended period with an injury he suffered in his team debut, but he’s far from the only big name currently unavailable. Every time the Mavs step on the court, it feels like another player goes down, another setback hits them, and another loss gets added to their rough season.
Their March 14 loss to the Houston Rockets was no different. The injury-riddled Mavericks got completely run off the floor in a brutal 133-96 rout.
But for Dallas fans, the real concern isn’t just the loss — it’s the ever-growing injury report that now reads like an NBA team’s full rotation.
Jason Kidd’s Update on Anthony Davis Offers Little Clarity
As if things weren’t already bad enough, the Mavericks still have no clear timeline for Davis’ return. Head coach Jason Kidd didn’t do much to reassure fans, offering an update that left more questions than answers.
Brad Townsend shared on X, “Kidd says Davis continues to trend in the right direction, but still no timetable.” That’s something, but it doesn’t offer much clarity on when the star big man might suit up again.
Kidd says Davis “continues to trend in the right direction,” but still no timetable.
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) March 14, 2025
That’s not exactly what Dallas fans wanted to hear.
Davis, dealing with a left abductor strain, is just one of a growing list of Mavericks players stuck on the sidelines. Kyrie Irving is out the rest of the season with an ACL injury. Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II, and Jaden Hardy are also out, while P.J. Washington, Dante Exum, Kai Jones, and Brandon Williams currently have short-term injury concerns of varying degree.
At this point, the Mavericks’ injury list looks like a full-fledged hospital wing. With Dallas now sitting 10th in the Western Conference at 33-35, every game matters. But with its two biggest stars sidelined and nearly half their rotation banged up, how much longer can Dallas keep treading water?
Rockets Expose Mavericks in One-Sided Beatdown
If the Mavericks were hoping to steal a win despite their injuries, the Rockets had other plans. From the opening tip, it was clear this was going to be a long night for Dallas. Houston took control early and never let up, lighting up the Mavericks’ defense.
Tari Eason was dominant, scoring 30 points while grabbing eight rebounds. Jalen Green added 23 points, five assists, and nine rebounds.
For Dallas, there were some bright spots. Williams (25 points), Spencer Dinwiddie (20 points), and Naji Marshall (21 points) tried to keep things competitive. But without Davis or Irving on the floor, the Mavericks didn’t have much of a shot.
Now, with the Mavericks clinging to a Play-In Tournament spot, their season is hanging by a thread. The road ahead doesn’t get any easier. And if Kidd’s vague update on Davis is any indication, Mavericks fans might be waiting a while before their team has its star big man back.
Dallas’ Rest-of-Season Outlook
With Davis, Irving, Lively, Gafford, and Exum among the players expected to miss significant time, what is Dallas’ outlook for the 2024-25 season? The one silver lining in the team’s extremely short-handed roster might be the extended opportunity that it’s afforded several players who otherwise wouldn’t receive it.
Williams, who’s dealing with a minor hamstring injury, remains on a two-way contract but is averaging 20.4 points (on 59.1% shooting), 5.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.8 steals across his last five games.
Marshall has also been a major contributor of late, putting up 23.1 points (via 51.6% shooting), 7.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.6 steals in his last seven contests.
Meanwhile, Max Christie, who was acquired along with Davis from the Lakers, has had his moments while enjoying the most extended stretch of meaningful playing time in his young career.
With a 33-35 record, the Mavericks are 4.5 games behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Sitting at No. 10, the Mavs are in the play-in picture even if just barely, holding a 1.5-game lead on the 11th-seeded Phoenix Suns and a 4.5-game lead over the Portland Trail Blazers.
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However, the team does face the ninth-easiest remaining strength of schedule this season (.488), according to Tankathon, meaning a play-in spot is still within reach, if not realistic. However, the team is 2-8 in its last 10 contests and has an offensive rating of just 110.5 over that stretch, 29th in the NBA over each team’s previous 10 contests.
With the 28th-best defensive rating to boot (123.9), it’s difficult to see the Mavericks making any noise over the back stretch of the season, especially if their rash of injuries persists. However, Dallas fans can take solace in the 2025 NBA Draft being one in which the front office controls its own pick, meaning a difficult final 13 games could lead to the arrival of a potential new star.