DALLAS — Anthony Davis is out at least through the All-Star break after sustaining a groin injury in his debut with the Dallas Mavericks following the seismic trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Davis was replaced on the All-Star team Monday by new teammate Kyrie Irving. All-Star festivities start Friday in San Francisco, and the game is Sunday night.
Multiple media outlets, citing anonymous sources, reported that Davis could miss several weeks with a left adductor strain. NBA reporter Marc Stein was first with the news of a potentially lengthy absence.
Davis’ first missed game will be Monday night against the Sacramento Kings, and the Mavs have home games against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday and Miami Heat on Thursday before the break.
The 10-time All-Star and Chicago native had a dominant first half for the Mavs in a 116-105 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday before pulling up lame late in the third quarter. He finished with 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks.
Any extended time without Davis will only intensify the criticism directed at Mavs general manager Nico Harrison over the controversial trade.
Mavs fans angry with Harrison over losing their beloved Dončić also have complained about the team giving up a 25-year-old superstar in his prime for an older player with an extensive injury history.
While the 31-year-old Davis played a career-high 76 games for the Lakers last season, he missed at least 20 games each of the previous five seasons.
Davis was out with an abdominal strain for his final two games with the Lakers and the first two he could have played for the Mavs.
He said after his Dallas debut he was confident it wasn’t a serious injury. He said part of the reason for leaving the game when he felt tightness in his groin and quadriceps area was because of the abdominal issue.
