DALLAS \u2014 Anthony Davis missed Monday\u2019s game in Utah with a left calf contusion. At the Dallas Mavericks\u2019 shootaround Thursday morning, signs pointed toward him sitting out again. Davis was still battling calf soreness, and top of that, he was dealing with an illness.<\/p>\n
So it was a surprise when Mavericks coach Jason Kidd announced two hours before tipoff against the Detroit Pistons that Davis was in. Davis didn\u2019t score until the third quarter and had to leave the floor twice to throw up, but he still wound up with 15 points and 14 rebounds \u2014 enough to help the Mavericks emerge from a physical\u00a0 against the first-place Pistons with a 116-114 overtime win.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s special,\u201d Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg said. \u201cHis presence around the rim. He has such a big rim presence. Blocking shots. He has great hands. Probably the best hands at his position I\u2019ve ever seen. His presence definitely just elevates us.\u201d<\/p>\n
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With 1:32 in overtime, Flagg assisted Davis for a dunk, which put Dallas ahead by two points. It was the final basket either team scored in the game. The Pistons missed four shots in the final 37 seconds. P.J. Washington blocked Pistons center Jalen Duren\u2019s last-gasp effort in the paint. Davis recovered the loose ball, and Dallas (11-17) hung on to win its fourth consecutive home game.<\/p>\n
The Mavericks, who spent the first month of the season at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, have gone 5-2 since Davis returned from a left calf strain in late November. Their wins haven\u2019t come against weak competition either; Dallas has beaten three teams \u2014 the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets and Pistons \u2014 who could be hosting first-round playoff series this spring.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are just confident in our group,\u201d Davis said. \u201cConfident in our game plans. Confident in what the coach wanted to do. We feel like we can beat any team in this league.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Mavericks continue to rely on Flagg, the NBA\u2019s youngest player, in high-leverage moments. Flagg scored two baskets in the final 59 seconds of the fourth quarter, which got Dallas into overtime. In the extra period, Flagg missed the three shots he attempted but was able to assist Davis for the game-deciding basket.<\/p>\n