Anthony Davis Dazzles in Mavs Debut, Making History Alongside Nowitzki Despite Late Injury

Prior to Anthony Davis’ debut with the Dallas Mavericks, a wave of protests took place outside the American Airlines Center in reaction to Luka Dončić’s trade to the Los Angeles Lakers.

However, fans may have quickly gravitated towards the former Lakers center, who delivered an impressive performance in his first game, guiding the Mavericks to a 116-105 win against Alperen Şengün and the Houston Rockets.

Davis made a significant impact with 24 points in the opening half but only tallied two more in the second half, ultimately exiting with a non-contact injury late in the third quarter.

Despite this setback, he fell just three assists short of a triple-double, finishing the game with 16 rebounds and three blocks. In doing so, he joined Dirk Nowitzki as one of the only Mavericks to achieve such impressive statistics in a single matchup, while also setting a franchise record for the most rebounds by a player in their debut.

On the other hand, Şengün also excelled, leading the Rockets with a solid performance that included 30 points, eight rebounds, and three assists, shooting a commendable 11-of-19 from the floor.