Anthony Davis suffers left-hand ligament injury, Mavericks' interior defense in dire need of attention.

The Dallas Mavericks have officially confirmed that their star forward/center Anthony Davis suffered a ligament injury in his left hand during Thursday's game against the Utah Jazz.

Davis is currently seeking advice from multiple medical experts to determine his final treatment plan and estimated time out. The injury occurred in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter against the Jazz.

At the time, Jazz star Lauri Markkanen made a powerful drive and collided violently with Davis, scoring the winning basket. Although Davis insisted on staying on the court, the obvious pain in his left hand made it difficult for him to exert force normally.

Head coach Jason Kidd expressed his regret in a post-game interview. He pointed out that during the possession following Davis's injury, the team failed to use a fouling tactic to stop the clock and substitute, forcing Davis to continue playing despite the pain. Ultimately, Davis left the game and returned to the locker room with 2 minutes and 8 seconds remaining.

This season, Davis has played 20 games, averaging 20.4 points and 11.1 rebounds. However, injuries have become a persistent shadow over his season, with him having missed several games due to injuries such as a calf strain.

To make matters worse for the Mavericks, another promising center, Derrick Lifeley II, has already missed the rest of the season due to foot surgery. With Davis out indefinitely, the Mavericks' interior depth has plummeted.

The Mavericks will now have to rely heavily on veteran Dwight Powell and deeper rotation players to fill the void in the paint. In the highly competitive Western Conference, maintaining their ranking while their core center is sidelined will be the biggest challenge facing the Mavericks.