If the Dallas Mavericks can get mostly healthy by mid-March, there should be time for the defending Western Conference champions to play their way into a decent playoff position.
Coach Jason Kidd understands it might be a big “if.”
“You’re never guaranteed to be healthy,” Kidd said Thursday after the Mavericks announced that recently acquired star Anthony Davis will be out at least two more weeks but is making “good progress” in recovery from a groin injury sustained in his Dallas debut.
“Beginning of the season, we had injuries right off the bat,” Kidd said. “And so it would be great to get healthy. But if we’re not healthy, we’ve got to deal with the cards that we have and put guys in a position to be successful.”
The Mavericks are eighth in the West heading into their return from the All-Star break Friday night at home against last-place New Orleans. Dallas is well within range of the top six, which would avoid the play-in tournament.
“I would say that our goals are still attainable,” Kidd said. “It’s a matter of, ‘Can we get healthy?'”
Davis was dominant in the first half of his only game with the Mavericks against Houston on Feb. 8, but pulled up lame late in the third quarter of Dallas’ 116-105 victory.
The 10-time All-Star had missed his last two games with the Lakers because of an abdominal injury before the seismic trade that sent fellow superstar Luka Doncic to Los Angeles. Davis then sat the first two games he could have played for Dallas before suiting up against the Rockets.
“He’s doing better,” Kidd said. “I saw him in the weight room and then on the court shooting, so a lot of positive stuff. It’s always good to see.”
The groin injury only intensified criticism of Dallas general manager Nico Harrison over a trade that infuriated many Mavericks fans. Doncic was out the last five-plus weeks of his Dallas career with a calf injury that has plagued the 25-year-old the past few seasons, but the 31-year-old Davis has a much longer history of injuries.
Davis’ absence is the biggest for a depleted Dallas frontcourt. The top three centers — Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford and Dwight Powell — are out with injuries and have no timelines for a return. Powell is the closest of the three to being ready.
Forward P.J. Washington Jr., a key piece of the deep playoff run last season after being acquired before the trade deadline, sprained an ankle the same day Davis went down. Washington is listed as questionable against the Pelicans.
Lively, the promising second-year pro who has battled injuries since the Mavs drafted him in the first round in 2023, has a stress fracture in his ankle. The 21-year-old hasn’t played since Jan. 14.
Gafford sprained a knee Feb. 10 against Sacramento and could miss several weeks. Powell hasn’t played in a month because of a hip injury, but went through non-contact drills Thursday and is expected to be listed as doubtful against New Orleans.
The Mavericks added 7-foot-2 center Moses Brown on a 10-day contract, giving them a second option until others get healthy. In the last two games before the break, the only healthy big man on the roster was 7-foot Kylor Kelley. The 27-year-old rookie on a two-way contract hasn’t played much even with the depleted frontcourt.
The 25-year-old Brown has played for seven teams in six seasons, including the Mavericks in 2021-22. His longest stint was 43 games with Oklahoma City in 2020-21, when he also had his career highs at 8.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. Brown’s career averages are 5.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
“I see it as a big opportunity,” Brown said. “They’re going to need size to be able to bang and to deal with the guys that we’re playing against these coming weeks. I’m here for it. I’m 100% ready.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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