The Dallas Mavericks are spiraling at the worst possible time. They’re facing a critical juncture in their season, grappling with injuries, recent roster changes, and internal challenges. On Saturday, they fell 132-117 to the Milwaukee Bucks’ superstar duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, who ran riot, scoring 29 and 28 points, respectively.

A significant factor in this loss was the absence of key players. Anthony Davis, acquired mid-season, has played only three quarters due to a left adductor injury. Then, there’s the mystery of big men – Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II, who were sidelined, weakening the team’s defense. Offensively, P.J. Washington and Max Christie struggled, shooting 25% and 33% from the field, respectively.

On the other hand, Veteran Klay Thompson, who shot 44% from beyond the arc in the game, emphasized the importance of precise passing and maintaining confidence. “Swing, right through a crisp hard pass, that ball has energy. So when you put it in the shooting pocket on the seams, it makes a huge difference. And always believe, always believe the next one’s going in.”

Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving also had a message for his teammates after leading the team yet again, scoring 31 points. “Stay confident, stay in the gym. And I just realized that those shots are going to feel different when you’re playing both ends of the field, especially defense-minded first. So we just got to take our time, especially me,” said Irving.

Well, things don’t look great in Dallas at the moment, especially when you take into account the players they traded for are nowhere in the picture.

Anthony Davis is yet to make an impact for the Mavericks as a worrying stat surfaces

Anthony Davis, the Mavs’ blockbuster midseason acquisition, has barely made an impact, and that’s becoming a growing concern. He has played just three quarters in a Dallas uniform before suffering a left adductor injury, leaving fans questioning whether this trade actually strengthened the team. Meanwhile, the front office, already under fire for its trade deadline moves, is facing even more scrutiny as their former players thrive elsewhere.

The Dallas Mavericks and GM Nico Harrison were alread heavily scrutinized for the trades they made, but now they’ve somehow managed to get it even worse. Former Mavericks players have been hooping since the deadline, meanwhile, the new acquisitions haven’t found their footing in Dallas. Luka Doncic put up a solid 31-point game for the Lakers in their latest win over crosstown rivals, the Clippers.

Moreover, another young guard that Dallas traded, Quentin Grimes, had a career night, as he dropped 44 points shooting 18-of-24 for his new team, the Sixers. The notable stat here is that Doncic and Grimes are the only two guards in the entire league to score 40+ points, 5+ rebounds, 5+ threes, and 2+ steals in a single game! And what did the Mavs do? They traded both of them.

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What’s more worrying for Dallas is that Anthony Davis, whom they acquired hoping to bolster their defense, has played only three-quarters of a game. Meanwhile, Caleb Martin, who was traded for Grimes, has not even stepped on the hardwood yet.

The Mavericks made their bed, and now they have to lie in it. With injuries piling up and former players thriving elsewhere, the pressure on this team is mounting. Kyrie and Klay have tried to rally their teammates, but until the roster delivers, the doubts will only grow louder.

Was this trade a misstep, or can Dallas still salvage the season?