Memphis – Anthony Davis, with his wrapped knees and his arms folded, stared at the ground inside the locker room visiting the Fedex Forum.
It was the consequences of a devastating elimination game in which the Dallas Mavericks watched their hopes in the eliminatory series disappear. Davis spoke to journalists while soaking his feet in an ice bucket, his dark post-match ritual given the circumstances.
The defeat of 120-106 of the Mavericks against the Grizzlies of Memphis marked early a season which started with the expectations of the championship and a transformational trade which led Davis to Dallas.
Former Los Angeles Laker scored 40 points, his most since he joined the mid-season of the Mavericks, but he played an obvious discomfort and did not finish the match due to an apparent injury to his right calf.
In one of his most transparent post-match sessions, Davis thought about his two-month mandate with his new team and how fans of Mavericks received it despite their sorrow on the decision of the franchise to separate from Luka Doncic.
“I’m just grateful,” said Davis. “Obviously, this is a lot of emotions. I know it is not directed towards me. The city loved the guy (Dononic). Get rid of a guy. A new guy enters, but they want to kiss you and they are grateful to you, it always stings me. I’m just grateful to the new situation. “
Injuries have defined this season for the Mavericks this season, especially during Davis’ short term. He underwent a left adductive tension during his dynamic beginnings which prevented Dallas from achieving his full potential after trade. Although he could have decided against a return at the end of the season, Davis played 10 of the last 13 games of the season to give the team a chance to make the playoffs.
Friday evening, Davis took a knee towards the right calf by the great man of the recruit of the Grizzlies, which seriously limited his mobility. When he was asked if he could physically finish the match, Davis said: “I think yes”, but faced with an insurmountable deficit with five minutes in the game —112-95 – The Mavericks left it on the bench.
“If the match was a little closer, I would be out for sure,” said Davis. “I just left everything on the ground.”
Through the Davis locker room, Klay Thompson, who has just completed his first full season in Dallas. Thompson was the successful acquisition of the offseason, joining the Mavericks after spending 13 seasons with the Golden State Warriors.
He appeared in 72 games, the maximum of all the francs -urics outside Spencer Dinwiddie, who is a revealing statistics on the misfortune of the team’s injury.
He had a word to summarize this season: “Tumultuous”.
“I think we persevered,” said Thompson. “We were eight, nine guys at a given time. We kept the fort and entered the game and we gave a shot to arrive at the playoffs.
“It sucks. It really sucks, but I’m really proud of every man in this locker room. They present themselves at work every day. We try to do the right thing every day. ”
The team that closed its season on Friday was nothing like that that Thompson joined last summer with aspirations to have won its fifth NBA championship.
Would he have made the same decision, knowing what he knows now?
“Don’t do this to me,” said Thompson, dropping his head. “It’s a kind of ridiculous question because I don’t have a time machine and I don’t think I go back or look back. If I did this all my career, I would not be where I am, and I could not have persevered through two really difficult injuries. I am here in Dallas and I appreciated my time and I look forward to the future. ”
The future seems troubled for the Mavericks, especially with Kyrie Irving who should miss the first months of next season while recovering from ACL surgery. He could exercise his player option or sign a lucrative extension to stay in Dallas.
PJ Washington, who with Dereck Lively II ended the Friday match without goal, is also eligible for an extension on August 29.
The Mavericks will have a choice among the first 14 in the recovery of June 25, as well as another choice of first round in 2026 – their last choice of first round in the predictable future.
Coach staff will also be different next season. Alex Jensen leaves to train the University of Utah, and other assistants could seek opportunities for a head coach.
Head coach Jason Kidd applauded his coach staff for keeping the unified team throughout a difficult season.
“It’s a season that I will have the opportunity to look back and see where I can improve,” said Kidd. “But with all the different pieces that we have had, as staff, I think everyone has done an incredible job to keep these guys prepared and motivated.”
The Mavericks season is over. As for Dononic, his season will continue with the Lakers, who start their after-season quest to win a championship on Saturday evening in match 1 of their first round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
It is a scenario that would have seemed unfathomable in October.
