Dallas Mavericks could have Anthony Davis for NBA Finals rematch against Boston Celtics

BOSTON – Anthony Davis could make his debut for the Mavericks on Feb 6 (Feb 7, Singapore time) when Dallas hit the road to wrap up their two-game National Basketball Association (NBA) season series with the Boston Celtics.

The Mavericks are 0-2 since trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for a package that included Davis, who is working his way back from an abdominal muscle strain that he picked up on Jan 28.

“I’ll go through a workout today, see how I feel, and depending on that, get another one in (on Wednesday),” Davis said on Feb 4.

“And then depending on that, see how I feel. If not Thursday, then more than likely Saturday at home (against the Houston Rockets).”

Davis has averaged 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.3 steals in 42 games (all starts) this season.

Max Christie, who was also acquired by Dallas in the Doncic trade, played in the 118-116 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Feb 4 and scored 15 points in 32 minutes of action.

“I was just playing hard, to be honest, and reacting to what was going on,” he said.

“The (team) concepts are kind of foreign to me, so I’m just playing off reaction. It helped that I was making my threes too.”

Dallas will attempt to end a three-game losing streak on Feb 6.

Boston beat the Mavericks 122-107 on Jan 25. It was the first game between the teams since they met in the 2024 NBA Finals.

Quentin Grimes came off the bench to score 20 points in the first game against Boston, but he was shipped to Philadelphia for forward Caleb Martin on Feb 4. Martin is averaging 9.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in 2024-25.

The Celtics, meanwhile, are coming off one of their best defensive efforts of the season on Feb 4, when they extended their winning streak to four games by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 112-105 on the road.

Boston had 10 steals and six blocked shots in the win. The Celtics also held the Cavaliers to a season-low-tying field-goal percentage of 39.6.

“It was a battle at both ends,” Boston big man Kristaps Porzingis said.

“Their defence was there and we had to bring ours. It was a physical battle.

“We had just enough to edge them.”

Boston limited Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland to 15 points in the first quarter and will look to do the same against the Mavericks.

“I thought we did a good job just taking away some of the margins, some of the easy baskets that they’re able to create because of the type of players that they have and the type of offence that they run,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said.

Boston will play road games against the New York Knicks and Miami Heat and a home game against the San Antonio Spurs before the NBA’s All-Star weekend begins on Feb 14.

Their current winning streak is their longest since they won seven games in a row in November.

“I’m very happy we have four wins in a row now because it’s a tough, tough stretch right before the All-Star break,” Porzingis added.

“It’s important for us to finish strong going into the All-Star break, get some rest, then have that really good home stretch of the regular season to peak at the right moment.”

In NBA action on Feb 5, Cleveland bounced back as Darius Garland drilled a three-pointer from the half-court logo before time expired to lift the Cavaliers to a 118-115 road victory over the Detroit Pistons.

Up by 12 with 9min 3sec remaining, Cleveland weathered a Pistons comeback led by Cade Cunningham, who scored 21 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter.

Fouled on a three-point attempt, Cunningham hit all three free throws to tie it at 115-115 with five seconds remaining, but Garland – who had 25 points – made sure the Cavs escaped with a win a day after falling to Boston.

“That’s what great players do, they make big plays,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said of Garland. REUTERS, AFP