Having Anthony Davis in the lineup remains one of the clearest indicators of whether the Dallas Mavericks can compete on a nightly basis in the Western Conference.
The challenge, as it has been for much of Davis‘ career, is keeping him on the floor long enough for the team to rely on him. The numbers make the contrast difficult to ignore.
With Davis available, the Mavericks are 9-9 and own wins over legitimate contenders, including two victories each against Denver and Houston, along with wins over Detroit and Miami. When he has been sidelined, Dallas has gone 4-14 and has yet to defeat a team with a winning record. That disparity underscores how central Davis is to any hopes the Mavericks have of climbing out of the play-in fringes, where they currently sit 11th in the Western Conference.
Jason Kidd make some adjustments to incorporate AD
Jason Kidd‘s decision to start Davis alongside Daniel Gafford on Saturday offered a glimpse of a potential path forward, even if the early results were uneven. The original plan entering the season was for Davis to share the floor with either Gafford or Dereck Lively II, allowing Dallas to limit Davis‘ workload at center.
Injuries derailed that idea, with Lively undergoing season-ending foot surgery and Gafford dealing with a sprained ankle in training camp. Now that Gafford is healthy, Kidd appears committed to revisiting the concept. The early benefits were visible against Houston, the league’s top rebounding team.
With Davis and Gafford paired together for stretches, the Mavericks held their own on the glass and built a double-digit lead through three quarters in a 110-104 win. The alignment also helped Dallas weather early foul trouble for rookie forward Cooper Flagg, who picked up two fouls in the opening four minutes.
Cooper needs help around the rim
Flagg’s emergence has been one of the season’s most encouraging developments for Dallas, but the rookie’s impact only raises the importance of having Davis available. Flagg has shown the ability to carry offensive responsibility in stretches, yet he needs support, particularly on nights when matchups or foul trouble limit his minutes.
Davis’ presence provides that safety net on both ends of the floor, as evidenced by his 26-point, 12-rebound performance against the Rockets, capped by a key late block. Kidd acknowledged there is still work to do in maximizing Davis‘ effectiveness, particularly when it comes to getting him the ball in the post, where he is most comfortable.
Even so, the Mavericks look like a different team when he is active, with a higher ceiling and a clearer identity. That reality also highlights the underlying problem. Dallas cannot fully commit to a long-term plan built around Davis if his availability remains inconsistent. For a team hovering outside the playoff picture, every stretch without him widens the gap they must later try to close.
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