Mavericks' Anthony Davis injury nightmare deepens with unexpected update

Dallas Mavericks big man Anthony Davis suffered a left calf strain on October 29 in a game against the Indiana Pacers, and fans aren’t going to like the team’s most recent update on him. Davis was downgraded from questionable (his status for the previous couple of games) to doubtful yesterday for tonight’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, and this could be a nonverbal sign that he isn’t close to a return.

Davis went from supposedly trying to return to that game against Indiana (according to Jason Kidd) nearly three weeks ago to not playing in a game since, and Dallas fans desperately need a positive update soon on their prized big man if they want to salvage the season.

The Mavericks need every win that they can get at this point, as they are 3-10 on the season and 14th in the Western Conference, and Davis missing significantly more time will almost guarantee that they'll get stuck in a hole they can't climb out of. Kyrie Irving is already out of the lineup due to an ACL tear, and it was always known that Davis' health was going to be the one thing that propelled or sunk the Mavs.

Anthony Davis' road to recovery takes notable step back

So far, his health has led to an abysmal start for Dallas, and the tea leaves surrounding this calf strain that he is dealing with don't seem promising. Mavericks fans thought that his return to the floor was near since he had pushed to play in two games over the last eight days, but that may not be the case.

Davis had previously been listed as questionable for the last few games before being downgraded to out a few hours before the game began, and the fact that he didn’t even have a chance to go through a workout on Sunday to see if he’s ready to roll is concerning. Kidd stated that Davis has put together some good on-court workouts recently, but the medical staff must not think that he is close to coming back.

Davis wanted to return to the floor last Saturday when the Mavericks played the Washington Wizards, but Patrick Dumont and the medical staff ultimately overruled his wish due to the risk of him tearing his Achilles tendon. Nico Harrison was among those pushing for Davis to play in that game despite the risk that came with it, and Dallas will be taking the extra-cautious approach with Davis moving forward.

Dumont wants clear medical test results that indicate Davis isn't at risk of re-injury before he returns to the floor, and his status being listed as doubtful rather than questionable ahead of tonight's game could’ve been an indication that they got a test done and didn’t like what they saw in the results.

No one knows exactly when Davis is going to return, and with the season slipping away, there is a real chance that they keep him out even longer. Davis is one of their most valuable assets at this point, and with rumors of significant moves being on the horizon, he could find himself on a different team by the time the trade deadline rolls around on February 5.

The Mavericks can’t risk him getting injured if they want to trade him, but he also has to return in time to put together some solid performances and rebuild his trade value, which has significantly declined over the last nine months. Davis’ health and conditioning concerns may end up being the biggest things that hold the Mavs back from netting a massive trade return for him, and Dallas keeping or moving on from him is going to be one of the biggest stories of the season.

The Mavericks are only going to bring Davis back when they are 100 percent certain that he is fully healthy, and Dumont involving himself in this process shows just how critical his availability is for the remainder of the season.