Dallas Mavericks star Anthony Davis made his highly anticipated return to action, dominating the Atlanta Hawks with 34 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks in a 120-118 win.
Davis, who missed six weeks with an adductor strain, was eager to finally play full strength against the Hawks. “Whatever happens, happens,” he said before the game. “Just go out there and play with a lot of energy, a lot of force, a lot of dominance.”
And dominate he did, leading his team to a comeback victory after trailing by 11 points in the third quarter. Davis scored the game’s final points on a driving floater with 3.4 seconds left.
Despite missing most of the second quarter due to an elbow injury, Davis returned to the floor and led the Mavericks to their ninth-ranked position in the Western Conference. The team’s recent struggles with injuries have been addressed with the return of big men Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II.
“We go as he goes,” said guard Klay Thompson. “He’s our best player.” Coach Jason Kidd praised Davis’ performance, saying it was good to see him getting in a rhythm and being assertive from the beginning.
The Mavericks now sit 2.5 games ahead of 11th-place Phoenix with five games left in the season.
Source: https://www.nba.com/news/anthony-davis-hits-winner-earns-4-stitches-in-best-game-for-mavs