The Dallas Mavericks felt the weight of Anthony Davis’ absence last season, and the numbers showed it. After arriving in February’s blockbuster trade, Davis managed only nine regular-season appearances, sidelined by an adductor injury before undergoing surgery in July 2025 to repair a detached retina. Without his presence anchoring the frontcourt, Dallas collapsed defensively, slipping outside the top ten in rebound percentage, their worst mark in four years. The Mavericks, fresh off an NBA Finals appearance in 2024, couldn’t sustain the blow, stumbling to the lottery instead of a return to the playoffs.

Compounding the problem was the prolonged absence of Kyrie Irving , whose torn ACL in March not only robbed Dallas of its leading shot-creator but also stripped them of their late-gam

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