Anthony Davis returns to 5-on-5 as Mavericks eye bounce-back season

Anthony Davis is back on the floor. Per Marc Stein of The Stein Line, the Mavericks star went through 5-on-5 work this week for the first time since undergoing surgery in July to repair a detached retina.

Davis, 32, was limited to just nine games with Dallas last season with an adductor injury, averaging 20 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.2 blocks.

The Mavericks, of course, missed the playoffs just one year after reaching the 2024 Finals. They’re banking on a bounce-back from Davis to pair with No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg and veterans such as Klay Thompson and newcomer D’Angelo Russell. Kyrie Irving is still recovering from a torn ACL.

Coach Jason Kidd is expected to open camp with a starting five of Russell, Thompson, Flagg, Davis and Daniel Gafford.

Thompson, for one, is thrilled to share the court with Davis.

“When he’s healthy, he’s the best power forward maybe of my generation,” Thompson said on the Showtime With Michael Cooper podcast. “He is a two-way force. There’s not many big men who can do what he does as far as his handle, his blocking shot ability, his jump shot.”

Davis has made 10 All-Star teams and remains one of the league’s top two-way players. The Mavericks will need him to stay that way to rebound from last season’s collapse.