Jason Kidd Highlights Clear Demand for Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis was back on the floor for the Dallas Mavericks on New Year’s Day, but his return came with mixed results.

After missing two straight games due to a groin injury, the 10-time All-Star suited up against the Philadelphia 76ers at American Airlines Center. The Mavs big man logged heavy minutes in his return, finishing with 13 points on 6-of-13 shooting while adding eight rebounds, two assists and a steal in 37 minutes of action.

Despite his presence, Dallas couldn’t keep pace, falling 123-108 to the Sixers for its fourth consecutive loss.

Jason Kidd’s Strong Take About Anthony Davis

Following the game, Mavs head coach Jason Kidd offered an encouraging — but pointed — assessment of Davis’ performance.

“First game back, I thought he was good,” Kidd said, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal.

However, Kidd also made it clear there’s another level he expects from his star big man, especially offensively.

“We would like for him to take more shots,” Kidd added. “I think he turned down a couple. Sometimes when you’re not shooting the ball straight, you start to overthink things.”

The numbers back up Kidd’s message. Davis entered Thursday averaging 16.4 shot attempts in just under 30 minutes per game. While his minutes increased in his return, his aggressiveness didn’t follow at the same rate — a trend Dallas wants corrected moving forward.

With the Mavericks searching for answers amid their skid, Davis will have a quick opportunity to respond. Dallas returns to action on Saturday at home against the Houston Rockets, a matchup that suddenly carries added urgency as Kidd looks for his star to assert himself on the offensive end.