The Dallas Mavericks (31-27) will face the Los Angeles Lakers (34-21) on Tuesday night in a highly anticipated matchup on TNT, marking the first meeting between the teams since their blockbuster trade earlier this month. The trade sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis and Max Christie, but Davis will remain sidelined due to a left adductor strain, missing his seventh consecutive game.
Davis made his Mavericks debut on Feb. 8 against the Houston Rockets, delivering a dominant performance with 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks in 31 minutes. However, he has been out since then, with Dallas providing an update last Thursday stating that he was “making good progress” but would be reevaluated in two weeks. That timeline suggests he could miss at least 10 games before returning to action. Before the trade, Davis had been dealing with an abdominal strain that sidelined him on Jan. 28 while still playing for the Lakers.
Mavericks navigate Anthony Davis’ absence as Max Christie emerges in expanded role
Since the trade, Dallas has gone 5-4, with Christie stepping into a larger role. The third-year guard has thrived with the Mavericks, averaging 15.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 50% from the field and 43.6% from three. In contrast, with the Lakers, he averaged 8.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 44.4% from the field and 36.8% from three in 46 contests.
Meanwhile, the Lakers have gone 6-2 since the trade and are 2-2 with Doncic in the lineup. The five-time All-Star has continued to showcase his elite playmaking and scoring ability, most notably in a 123-100 victory over the Denver Nuggets last Thursday, where he posted 32 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists.
As Dallas continues to compete for playoff positioning, the team will have to manage without Davis for at least a few more games. His next evaluation will provide a clearer picture of when he might return, but for now, the Mavericks will rely on Christie’s emergence and their current rotation to stay in contention.
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