Cnn
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Anthony Davis, newly acquired, has taken a dominant start with the Dallas Mavericks, recording 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks. But his promising beginnings were interrupted by a minor injury in the 116-105 victory of the team on Houston’s Rockets on Saturday.
Davis joined the Mavericks of Los Angeles Lakers last week in exchange for Luka Dončić in one of the most amazing professions ever reported in the NBA, a decision that caused a lot of anger among Mavs fans.
A large crowd of them still protests on controversial trade outside the center of American Airlines before Tipoff, but Davis received enormous ovations when he took the court to warm up and during the starting introductions.
The all-star of nine times had an impact on the game emotionally loaded from the start, producing a decisive pass and a block in the first two minutes before placing its first points for the MAVs shortly after.
Halfway through the first quarter, all this emotion seemed to come out of Davis after a dunk from putback which encouraged him to shout “I’m here!” As the crowd got up.
“I played with great emotion,” he told journalists when he was asked for the moment after the match. “I know that this city has a lot of emotion right now, just trying to do my job and change this emotion for good … It’s a little reminder of who is Anthony Davis.”
However, the impressive beginnings of Davis were restricted at the end of the third quarter when he left the court with hold in the groin and the quadriceps.
“It was like a small spasm … it wouldn’t relax and would not let go,” he said. “But it’s nothing serious, I’m fine.
“All day, I was trying to understand what reaction we were going to have, but obviously it was welcoming and I think it just helped with my energy, the crowd reacting as they did … Just trying To continue, “added Davis.
Meanwhile, Max Christie, who was also part of the agreement that sent Dončić to the Lakers, added 23 points for the Mavericks.
Elsewhere in the League, Jimmy Butler made his debut Golden State Warriors, marking 25 points to help his new team erase a 24-point deficit in the third quarter to defeat one of his old teams, the Chicago Bulls, 132-111 .
