Anthony Davis returns to play in Los Angeles for the first time against the Lakers! Quality issues found with the cup game floor; Ayton also available to play.

On November 29th Beijing time, according to renowned reporter Shams, sources told ESPN that Dallas Mavericks star Anthony Davis (out for a month due to a calf strain) plans to make his comeback today in Los Angeles against the Lakers.

Since the major trade this past February, this will mark Davis’s first game in Los Angeles facing his old team, the Lakers.Last season, Davis faced the Lakers once while playing for Dallas; in that game, the Mavericks lost at home 97-112. Davis played 33 minutes and 22 seconds, shooting 5 of 13, and recorded 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Davis has been sidelined since October 30th. Initially, he aimed to return on November 9th in an away game against the Washington Wizards. However, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban postponed this plan—he followed the advice of Dallas’s health and performance director, Bill Zeller, who insisted that Davis would not be cleared to play unless medical data confirmed there was no risk of worsening the calf injury. After Thursday’s practice, Davis told reporters he would appear in one of the Mavericks’ back-to-back weekend games against the two Los Angeles teams (the Lakers and Clippers).

“You know which game I want to play,” he said, hinting at the matchup against his former team (the Lakers), “but the final decision depends on how things go.”

The current plan is for Davis to miss tomorrow’s game against the Clippers but to play in Tuesday’s away game against the Nuggets.

Davis’s return comes 17 days after the Mavericks fired their general manager Harrison; meanwhile, it is widely expected that the Mavericks will explore trade options for Davis before the trade deadline in early February.

“The trade rumors don’t affect me; I’ve been part of those talks for a while,” Davis stated. “My job is to focus on what I need to do on the court—play good basketball and try to lead this team. Whatever happens, it will happen naturally. I don’t have much control over those matters, but I maintain open communication with the team’s management. Right now, I’m just ready to get back on the court.”

Sports journalist Brett Siegel wrote about Davis’s trade rumors, noting that there has been no progress on any potential move. NBA teams generally believe it will be difficult for him to return to his Lakers-level form, and his recent injury with the Mavericks has raised concerns externally.

On the Lakers side, Ayton is available to play, while Smart is likely to be out. After today’s practice, Ayton spoke about defending Davis: “He’s a top scorer... Defending him requires the whole team to work together. You have to guard him like you would Giannis or Jokic, just like against any other superstar in the league. The entire team must effectively contain him; if one person can’t stop him, then two should be assigned. The goal is to prevent him from receiving the ball early, keep him away from his sweet spots, or else he’ll hit mid-range shots. Don’t foul him, focus on making him uncomfortable, and compete hard against him.”

Additionally,The Lakers officially announced that due to quality issues with the special NBA Cup floor, today’s home game against the Mavericks will be played on a regular floor instead.It is reported that technicians from the league’s floor supplier confirmed that the floor for tonight’s game cannot be used and will be sent back to the supplier for repairs.

After the last NBA Cup game against the Clippers, Doncic mentioned in an interview that the court was very slippery. During today’s practice, Rui Hachimura also said, “That floor was terrible; I felt it as soon as I went out for warm-ups. It felt strange, greasy, and slippery. Today, we’ll use the regular floor, so there shouldn’t be those problems.”