Davis' Achilles flares as Dallas faces uncertainty. Will key bigs join him on the sidelines for the Mexico City showdown?
MEXICO CITY — As the Dallas Mavericks turn their focus to Saturday’s NBA Mexico City Game against the Detroit Pistons, all eyes are on the status of star forward Anthony Davis.
Davis, who has been managing bilateral Achilles tendinopathy, is considered unlikely to play given the nature of the injury and the team’s cautious approach to his workload. The Mavericks are scheduled to practice Friday before traveling to Mexico City, a session that could offer the first indication of how healthy their frontcourt will be heading into the international showcase.
An official injury report will be released Friday evening, but the expectation is that Davis will continue to be evaluated on a day-to-day basis. He has been the Mavericks’ most consistent player through the early stretch of the season, averaging 25.0 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists while starting all five games.
Dallas’ depth in the frontcourt remains a concern, with both Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II again trending toward the doubtful designation. Gafford has been sidelined by a right ankle sprain suffered during training camp, while Lively continues to recover from a right knee sprain sustained last week. Both have been listed as doubtful in multiple recent games, forcing the Mavericks to lean on smaller lineups anchored by P.J. Washington and Dwight Powell.
Head coach Jason Kidd has credited Davis’ leadership and defensive presence for stabilizing the team amid those injuries but acknowledged the physical toll on his veteran big man.
“AD is doing everything we’ve asked,” Kidd said earlier this week. “He’s carrying a heavy load for us right now. We’ll continue to monitor how he feels and make sure we’re doing what’s best for him long term.”
The Mavericks are coming off a 120-115 win over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, improving to 2-3 to close their season-opening homestand. With the frontcourt depleted, Dallas relied on a more perimeter-oriented attack, including strong performances from Max Christie and P.J. Washington, who combined for 33 points.
The upcoming game in Mexico City marks the franchise’s first international appearance since 2019 and comes at a time when roster stability has been elusive. The Mavericks hope Friday’s practice will bring clarity on Davis’ condition and whether either of their young centers might be available to return.
Dallas’ opponent, the Detroit Pistons, are led by Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren and enter the matchup looking to build on a promising start to their season.
Tipoff for the NBA Mexico City Game is scheduled for Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Central (5:30 p.m. local time) at Arena CDMX.