Nov 28, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Will Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic play in Mavericks-Nuggets?

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated Dec 1, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The Dallas Mavericks are on the road for the fourth straight time on Monday night as they get set to face the Denver Nuggets, one of the NBA's best teams behind the MVP-level play of Nikola Jokic and great assistance from Jamal Murray.

However, both of these teams are dealing with a lot of injuries, as 12 players have an injury designation, and another two are on G-League assignment.

It starts with Anthony Davis and Nikola Jokic, who are both probable to play in this matchup, per this official injury report. Davis returned from a 14-game absence due to a calf strain on Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers, but then missed Saturday's win against the Clippers due to injury management. It didn't make sense to have him play in a back-to-back, but he should be good to play in this matchup, and he did look much more mobile on Friday.

Jokic is dealing with a left wrist sprain, but he played through it on Saturday in a blowout win over the Phoenix, where he put up 26 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds on a perfect 7/7 shooting from the floor (10/11 at the FT line). It's a tough MVP race between Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but Jokic seems to be slightly ahead so far.

Full Mavericks-Nuggets Injury Report

The Mavericks have about half the roster on the injury report, and I wish that were a joke. They'll be without Dereck Lively II (right foot injury management), Kyrie Irving (left ACL surgery recovery), and Dante Exum (right knee injury management), but Lively should be re-evaluated for his injury sometime this week.

P.J. Washington (right ankle sprain) and Brandon Williams (adductor strain) are both questionable to play. Washington missed Saturday's game against the Clippers in a freak accident, as in the last shootaround before tipoff, he jumped for a layup, then came down on another basketball and rolled his ankle. He tried to give it a go, but was eventually ruled out. If Brandon Williams can't go, expect more D'Angelo Russell minutes, which is not what anyone wants or needs.

Daniel Gafford (right ankle injury management) is doubtful to play. He played on Friday against the Lakers, but missed Saturday's game against the Clippers. If Davis is going, and Gafford and Lively aren't, Moussa Cisse is going to get minutes against arguably the greatest player in the world, which will be... a tough matchup, to say the least.

Meanwhile, Denver will be without Aaron Gordon (right hamstring strain), Christian Braun (left ankle sprain), and Julian Strawther (lower back injury management). Tamar Bates and DaRon Holmes are on G-League assignments.