After a long, tired wait, Anthony Davis can finally sigh in the Dallas Mavericks.
After experiencing Daniel Gaford’s highly anticipated return to Brooklyn Net, Anthony Davis and the Dallas Mavericks enjoyed a huge comeback on the court of another important big man.
Derek Lively, who has been inactive since mid-January, finally played on April 2nd to achieve a 120-118 clutch victory against the Atlanta Hawks.
The sophomore center had blocks on four points, five boards and 16 minutes of play as he shrugged from rust after a long recovery from an ankle injury.
A few months ago, Davis was found out that he only wanted to have another big guy by his side.
This wish made headlines while still a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. Since the title was run in 2020, Davis has found himself pinning Lake Show interiors on his own as the man in the middle.
His unexpected landing in Dallas, as part of the blockbuster Luka Donsic deal, ultimately served as a blessing for Davis’ disguise. And he couldn’t ask for a better team to be part of the Mavericks to showcase the vibrant II and Gafford as his latest frontcourt partner.
Davis, who played for the first time this season at both Mavericks centers, has instantly experienced the advantage of playing in a power forward spot since entering the league in 2012.
“It makes my job easier,” Davis said after a 15-play performance with 34 points when he hit a game-winning floater in the Mavs’ victory over the Hawks. “As far as defensive, I can walk around, be free safety and help everyone on the floor.
“Aggressively, we had (Gafford and lively II), so I got a lot faster with those guys, which was much easier for me.
“It was good to have one of the people who always have me with me.”
Davis played multiple instances of being in four with Lively II and Gafford. The superstar big man started the game at age 21, but the veteran center served as a backup for them, finishing strong with 11 points and six rebounds, mainly in 20 minutes of play.
As the Mavericks finally begin to get healthy and regain the enforcer from their injuries, Davis is excited to gain momentum with his fellow big men.
After missing a fair amount of time after an adductor injury on his debut, Davis is sure he and Mavs (38-39) will be in ninth place in the Western Conference at the pinnacle of participating in the play-in tournament, so he is sure to finish the regular season strongly.
“We know how dominant we are when we are healthy and available,” Davis said of his pairing with Lively II and Gafford, particularly. “It’s about us getting out there and enforcing our advantage.”