DALLAS — In his first game with the Mavericks, Anthony Davis put up an impressive performance, scoring 26 points, grabbing 16 rebounds, dishing out seven assists, and recording three blocks. However, his debut was cut short due to a lower-body injury that caused him to exit the game late in the third quarter while the Mavericks secured a 116-105 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
Joining Davis in the spotlight was Max Christie, who also came from the Los Angeles Lakers in a recent trade that shifted superstars Luka Doncic to L.A. Christie contributed significantly with 23 points after participating in two road games earlier this week.
Davis, who had been sidelined since January 28 due to an abdominal strain, made an immediate impact by assisting on the Mavericks’ first basket just four seconds into the game. He quickly scored six of Dallas’ opening 14 points and achieved a double-double before halftime, playing a total of 31 minutes.
Although Davis noted experiencing tightness in his groin and quadriceps, he reassured fans that the injury did not seem serious and that part of the reason for not resuming play was his ongoing recovery from the prior abdominal issue.
On the opposing side, the Rockets struggled to break their six-game losing spell, with Alperen Sengun leading the team with 30 points and Jalen Green adding 24. Sengun particularly shined in the third quarter, scoring 15 points as Houston closed a 21-point deficit to just two.
Before the game, some Mavericks fans expressed their discontent regarding the controversial trade outside the American Airlines Center. However, once the game commenced, Davis received warm cheers as he warmed up and was introduced in the starting lineup.
Key takeaways from the matchup reveal that despite Dallas holding Houston to a shooting percentage of only 38.9% in the fourth quarter, the Rockets didn’t capitalize entirely for their offensive woes, shooting 40.9% themselves and failing to make any of their three-point attempts.
In a notable moment of the game, following a tough rally from the Rockets that brought the score to 104-100 with just 2:43 remaining, Kyrie Irving was fouled while driving to the basket. He sank both free throws, and Christie followed with his fourth three-pointer of the night, extending the Mavericks’ lead to 109-100 with 1:38 left on the clock.
An impressive stat from the game indicated that the Mavericks set a franchise record with 18 total blocks, with Daniel Gafford contributing six of those.
Looking ahead, the Rockets are set to complete a back-to-back on Sunday when they take on Toronto at home, while the Mavericks will host the Sacramento Kings on Monday.
