Well this is fitting.
Anthony Davis’ return to game action will come against… the Los Angeles Lakers – the team that traded him to Dallas prior to the trade deadline in February.
Anthony Davis will play vs. Lakers on Black Friday
Davis has missed Dallas’ last 14 games of the season with a calf strain, but he has been cleared to make his return against L.A. on Black Friday, just as he had hoped. The game will be the first time that Davis will get a chance to paly against the Lakers since the trade.
Prior to his injury, Davis appeared in five games for the Mavs and averaged 20.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per performance. Davis is expected to be on some sort of a minutes restriction upon his return.
The return of Davis is obviously good news for a Mavericks team that has struggled mightily without him. Dallas has won just five of its first 19 games on the season and currently sits second-to-last in the Western Conference standings.
During his stint on the sideline, Davis heard his name pop up in various trade rumors, which could be jarring for some players, but it’s old hat for the veteran forward.
“That doesn’t affect me, I’ve been in trade talks for a while,” Davis said of the trade rumors. “My job is to do what I do when I’m on the floor, play basketball and try to lead this team. Whatever comes out of that, comes out of that. I don’t have really any control over that, but I do have an open line of communication with the front office, and I’m just ready to get back on the floor.”
In addition to Davis’ return, the Black Friday matchup between Dallas and L.A. will also represent the first career matchup between No. 1 overall picks LeBron James and Cooper Flagg.
