Dallas Mavericks have ‘year from hell’ as $40M star joins Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively with injuries

The Mavericks suffered another big blow after Daniel Gafford's latest injury news sidelines him alongside Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II.

Dallas Mavericks have ‘year from hell’ as $40M star joins Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively with injuries

Daniel Gafford injury adds to Dallas Mavericks' woes after Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II

The Dallas Mavericks entered this season with high hopes, coming off an NBA Finals run last season. However, after injuries to Luka Doncic derailed their early season proceedings, they chose to trade their franchise cornerstone for Anthony Davis. Unfortunately, the injury bug hasn’t left the Mavericks yet, with the latest injuries to Daniel Gafford adding to their slew of troubles.

If losing Anthony Davis in his Dallas debut wasn’t frustrating enough, Gafford’s injury only exacerbates the problem. The 6’10” center went down during Monday’s loss to the Sacramento Kings, further depleting an already thin frontcourt. Now, with Dereck Lively II, Dwight Powell, P.J. Washington, and Davis also unavailable, the Mavericks have little to no reinforcements left in the paint.

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Anthony Davis is nursing an adductor strain, and Lively is dealing with a stress fracture in his right ankle. With that, the Mavericks have no choice but to rely on role players like Kessler Edwards to hold the fort down in the paint. After all, their entire frontcourt with Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford remain out with injuries.

This brutal stretch of injuries comes at the worst possible time for Dallas, who were trying to find their identity post-Doncic. Since the trade deadline, the team has gone 4-1 despite the roster upheaval, with big wins over the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat.

However, the long-term outlook isn’t as promising. As they continue to battle in the crowded Western Conference playoff race, missing three of their top big men could be the breaking point.

What is the injury timeline for Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, and Daniel Gafford?

For now, the Mavericks can only play the waiting game. Daniel Gafford’s absence will stretch for at least six weeks, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. That puts his potential return date around mid-April, right before the playoffs. It is a timeline that will leave Dallas scrambling to fill the void in the meantime.

His recovery means he’ll be out for most of the regular season, while Dereck Lively’s foot injury will be re-evaluated in the coming weeks, with the initial timeline for his injury in January having been set at four weeks. Anthony Davis, the centerpiece of the Mavericks’ blockbuster trade, is avoiding surgery for his adductor strain at this time, but there’s no clear timetable for his return.

Given the severity of the injury and his history with prolonged recoveries, it’s possible that Dallas won’t have him back until the postseason, if they make it there. The Mavericks have to tread water until their reinforcements return. Right now, they sit at 29-26, clinging onto the eighth seed in the West.

The play-in tournament is the most likely destination if they can survive this brutal stretch post-All-Star break without slipping too far in the standings.