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Anthony Davis was putting on a show Saturday, stuffing the stat sheet with 26 points, 16 rebounds, and seven assists. Oh, and he wasn’t just scoring and playmaking—he sent back three shots as well. But just when it seemed like he was in full control, things took a turn. Late in the third quarter, with 1:37 on the clock, he felt something tweak and had to check out. He never returned after that.

Well, Shams Charania of ESPN had reported that Davis would be out for multiple weeks if not for a month, thanks to the left adductor strain he sustained. But the Mavs HC Jason Kidd had something else to say.

On Monday, Coach Kidd said, They’re still evaluating, there’s still stuff that has to come out at some point. All speculation right now. But he’s being evaluated and at that point, a statement will come out.. So, for now, it’s a waiting game—hopefully, the news isn’t anything too serious.

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And there’s also that teeny tiny issue of the noise around GM Nico Harrison. If Davis stays sidelined longer, that noise is only going to get louder.

Unfortunately, AD won’t suit up for Dallas on Monday against Sacramento, marking his first missed game with the team. After that, the Mavs face the Warriors at home on Wednesday, followed by the Heat on Thursday before the break. And if that wasn’t enough, the NBA champ’s absence until the All-Star games is also confirmed.

Don’t worry, though. If not Anthony Davis, the All-Star game will still have a Mavs representative in place of him.

 

What’s your perspective on:

Is Anthony Davis's injury-prone nature a ticking time bomb for the Lakers' championship hopes?

Have an interesting take?

The NBA revealed Monday that Kyrie Irving will take Davis’ spot, officially securing his ninth All-Star selection. That said, everyone looking forward to the LeBron James-AD reunion will have to be disappointed. It doesn’t look like it’s happening anytime soon.

But with Kyrie in the mix for the All-Star game, how do the teams look?

Kyrie Irving fits rights in with Team Shaq in the absence of Anthony Davis

Irving just added another All-Star selection to his resume, something no other player from the 2011 draft class has done more than six times. He even took home All-Star Game MVP honors back in 2014. As for how injury replacements are chosen, Adam Silver sticks to a system—the next highest vote-getter among coaches gets the nod. That’s how Trae Young ended up replacing Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier on Monday.

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This year, Irving will play for Team Shaq, built by Shaquille O’Neal, while Young joins Team Chuck, put together by Charles Barkley. The rosters? They tell a story. Team Shaq is stacked with veteran American stars, with Jayson Tatum (26) as one of the younger guys. Irving, at 32, fits right in. Team Chuck, meanwhile, is loaded with international talent.

Including Donovan Mitchell and Karl-Anthony Towns, both with mixed backgrounds, Panamanian and Dominican respectively. And then there’s Young, the one player who doesn’t fit the theme at all—he’s all-American.

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As for Irving’s season, he’s been grinding this season, playing 36.3 minutes a game—one of the highest workloads in the league. He’s also getting buckets, averaging 24.1 points, which puts him 16th in scoring. And when he gets to the line? Automatic. He’s sinking free throws at a ridiculous 90.1%, the fourth-best in the NBA.

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He’s also chipping in with 4.8 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Defense? Probably not his focus. But if there’s one thing Kyrie guarantees, it’s a show. And in an All-Star Game, that’s all that really matters.

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Debate

Is Anthony Davis's injury-prone nature a ticking time bomb for the Lakers' championship hopes?

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