By Issy Ronald and Jacob Lev, CNN
(CNN) — Newly acquired Anthony Davis got off to a dominant start with the Dallas Mavericks, recording 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks. But his promising debut was cut short by a minor injury in the team’s 116-105 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
Davis joined the Mavericks from the Los Angeles Lakers last week in exchange for Luka Dončić in one of the most stunning trades ever reported in the NBA, a move which has prompted much anger among Mavs fans.
A large crowd of them were still protesting the controversial trade outside American Airlines Center before tipoff, but Davis received huge ovations when he took the court for warmups and during the starting lineup introductions.
The nine-time All-Star made an impact on the emotionally-charged game from the very start, producing an assist and a block in the first two minutes before sinking his first points for the Mavs shortly afterward.
Midway through the first quarter, all that emotion seemed to pour out of Davis after a putback dunk which prompted him to shout “I’m here!” as the crowd rose to their feet.
“Just playing with a lot of emotion,” he told reporters when asked about the moment after the game. “I know this city has a lot of emotion right now, just trying to do my job and change that emotion for good … It’s a little reminder of who Anthony Davis is.”
However, Davis’ impressive debut was curtailed late in the third quarter when he exited the court with tightness in his groin and quadriceps.
“It was like a little spasm … It wouldn’t loosen up and let go,” he said. “But it’s nothing serious, I’m fine.
“All day I was trying to figure out what reaction we were gonna have but obviously it was welcoming and I think that just helped with my energy, with the crowd reacting the way they did … just trying to keep it going,” Davis added.
Meanwhile, Max Christie, who was also part of the deal that sent Dončić to the Lakers, added 23 points for the Mavericks.
Elsewhere in the league, Jimmy Butler made his Golden State Warriors debut, scoring 25 points to help his new team erase a 24-point third quarter deficit to defeat one of his former teams, the Chicago Bulls, 132-111.
The-CNN-Wire
& © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
Source: Seattle Medium
