Before much of the world could even finish processing the late-night, league-changing trade that sent superstars across the globe just days prior, Anthony Davis was already in a Dallas Mavericks uniform, putting his all-world abilities on showcase. Holding true on his promise to bring “life” back to a stunned fanbase, Davis works promptly attacking a pick-and-roll switch that ultimately leaves the Houston Rockets’ top-ranked defense in need of help rotations. Slightly off-target on his initial attempt after Alperen Şengün’s contest disrupts his view, Davis forgoes finesse in favor of power, roughhousing Houston’s interior resistance with a two-handed putback flush. The battle of Texas elites allowed Davis — and the defending Western Conference champions as a whole — the opportunity to send quite the message, as they overcame spirited rallies to secure a victory on February 8, 2025. On pace for one of his “only Anthony Davis”-like statlines before an adductor injury ended his afternoon prematurely, Dallas’ new superstar had to settle for being merely sensational, as he tallied a 26-point, 16-rebound, seven-assist, three-block, two-triple showcase. · Feb 8, 2025