Anthony Davis’s narrow quadruple-double miss in Mavericks’ big win has fans wishing for more minutes

Anthony Davis led the Dallas Mavericks to a 124-102 win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday. AD tallied 23 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists and seven blocks. He bounced back from a 13-point, 11-rebound and six-assist performance on Wednesday against the LA Lakers that prompted fans to boo him in Dallas.

Fans promptly reacted to AD’s performance:

“They said lakers ripped off the mavs”

One fan said:

“The mavs won the trade if you really think about it”

Another fan added:

“it was just the raptors”

@Investor_x1 continued:

“Came out with a point to prove”

@vexiwrld commented:

“Lakers have an actual game plan that works against centers”

The hobbled Toronto Raptors, without Jakob Poeltl, had no answer for Anthony Davis. They had no natural center who could make Davis work hard for his shots. The Raptors repeatedly sent double teams which AD dissected with timely passes to teammates.

Anthony Davis took what the defense gave him. Seven of his shots came within two feet of the basket, and he made four mid-range jumpers. AD went 1-for-4 from deep, which helped keep the defense honest.

The Dallas Mavericks need Anthony Davis to be at his best in the play-in tournament

The Dallas Mavericks will likely end with the No. 10 spot in the Western Conference after the regular season. They will have to travel to Sacramento for a do-or-die game against the Sacramento Kings for a shot at a playoff spot.

Dallas is 0-3 against the Kings this season, which makes it highly important for Anthony Davis to be at his best. If the former LA Lakers star stumbles, the Mavericks will likely have an early offseason.

Davis has recovered from so-so performances when matched up against Kings bruising big man Domantas Sabonis. This season, AD averaged 24.5 points, 14.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists when playing Sacramento. The Mavericks need him to hit or surpass these numbers in the play-in tournament to survive for another do-or-die game.

AD could not dazzle Mavericks fans on Wednesday against the LA Lakers. He can try to make up for it with an impressive display once the play-in tournament starts.

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Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael’s background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich’s genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

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Edited by Michael Macasero