Just as Anthony Davis was beginning to rediscover his rhythm in a Mavericks uniform, another setback has pulled him back off the floor, and head coach Jason Kidd has now addressed the growing concern surrounding his star forward’s availability.

The former All-Star has been ruled out of Saturday’s road clash against the Sacramento Kings after suffering a fresh issue, further extending a frustrating stretch since his arrival in Dallas. Davis managed only 11 minutes in the Christmas Day loss to the Golden State Warriors before heading to the locker room, visibly hampered.

Since returning from a right calf strain, he had strung together five consecutive appearances, his longest run as a Maverick, showing flashes of the dominance the team envisioned when they acquired him.

Yet, tellingly, Davis has still not managed to play six straight games in a Dallas uniform, a sobering statistic that continues to shape Kidd’s cautious approach and the Mavericks’ season outlook. Amid all the chaos, Kidd is hopeful about AD’s return. “Hopefully it’s not long. He’s going better, but we’ll see here in the next couple days of how long he’ll be out,” Kidd said about Anthony Davis’ injury timeline.

In Davis’ absence, Daniel Gafford will take up his spot in the starting lineup as per Kidd, while Dwight Powell and Moussa Cisse will also share minutes.

While they may replace his minutes on the court, it is hard to match the big man’s impact. Whenever healthy, Anthony Davis has racked up massive numbers for Dallas. The 32-year-old veteran is averaging 20.5 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game across the 16 games he has featured this season.

In his absence, the onus will be on Cooper Flagg to step up once again. The rookie forward has been exceptional for Dallas this season, and Kidd will expect him to step up yet again.

When can we expect Anthony Davis to return?

Anthony Davis has struggled with injuries throughout his career, and since the big trade last February, the setbacks have only increased. The big man has already suffered significant injuries, starting with leg, calf, and adductor issues, which have significantly hindered his impact for Dallas.

The muscle injuries have been persistent, and they have had a significant impact on the Mavericks.

However, things may not be as significant this time as Davis’ adductor issue was initially labelled as a minor concern by NBA Insider Shams Charania, which offers a glimmer of hope to the Dallas fans, who want their star big man to play in as many games as possible.

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Notably, Giannis Antetokounmpo missed four games in November 2025 due to a left groin strain suffered on November 17 against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2025–26 season. Early evaluations projected a one-to-two-week recovery for the low-grade strain – a timeline that matched his four-game absence.

Giannis returned soon after but later faced a separate calf injury, underscoring the wear and tear of his explosive playing style.

At 6’11”, Giannis, much like Anthony Davis at 6’10”, plays a power-driven, high-impact game that leaves both stars susceptible to lower-body strains. Giannis’ groin injury resolved in roughly a week, and Davis’ current minor strain suggests a similar brief recovery window.

Still, given Davis’ well-documented injury history, Dallas will likely proceed with extra caution before his return to the floor.

But given it is a minor concern, he won’t be out for weeks and may only miss a couple of games at best, unlike his past injuries. Groin strains typically require time to heal, and it may take a week or two for the injury to recover with proper care, therapy, and rest.

The focus should be on increasing strength and also avoiding another issue. It is a common issue among NBA players.

This happens at the worst time for the Dallas Mavericks as they are struggling in 11th position in the Western Conference with an underwhelming 12-20 record. They are 8-8 with Anthony Davis in their lineup and only 4-12 without him, highlighting his impact on the roster.