"A little friendly reminder of who Anthony Davis is": Mavericks' newest superstar makes his clear on wild celebration during his debut
Anthony Davis made his Dallas Mavericks debut on Saturday, and he showed exactly why the Mavericks felt confident trading for him. Davis was back to his usual form, posting 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks while shooting 2-for-2 from 3-point range.
Dallas came out firing and ended the first quarter up by 13 points. Davis had a highlight moment in the opening quarter when he grabbed a rebound and threw down a dunk, forcing the Rockets to call a timeout. He then hyped up the Dallas crowd at center court.
When asked about the celebration, Davis said he wanted to remind people who he is.
"Just playing with a lot of emotion," he said (per Mike Curtis). "I know this city has a lot of emotion right now. I'm just trying to do my job and change that emotion for good. Letting Dllas fans know what thye got in a player like me . Just a little friendly reminder who Anthony Davis is."
Dallas fans heard Davis' message loud and clear in his first game. The Mavericks hope the former NBA champion could maintain his production and help the team be a legitimate threat in the Western Conference without Luka Doncic.
Anthony Davis exits game vs. Rockets with groin injury; Mavericks hold on to win 116-105
Anthony had a phenomenal debut, making an impact on both ends of the floor. However, Mavericks fans experienced a scare in the fourth quarter when he went down with a non-contact injury while playing defense.
Davis left the game with a groin injury and was quickly ruled doubtful to return. He ultimately did not come back.
After the game, speculation began swirling about the severity of the injury. Davis had already been recovering from an abdominal strain he suffered while with the Lakers, which caused him to miss five games. However, Davis expressed confidence that this latest setback wouldn't be serious:
Davis has battled injuries throughout his career, playing more than 70 games just once during his time with the Lakers — last season. That includes the 2019-20 season, which was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.