The Mavericks have assigned Anthony Davis and Jaden Hardy to their G League affiliate, the Texas Legends.

Anthony Davis to begin practicing with G League team

Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The team wants Davis to get some five-on-five work as he prepares for a possible return to action, explains Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link).

Davis will practice Monday and is “very eager” about the prospect of playing again sometime this season, league sources tell NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link).

However, the decision to bring back Davis hasn’t been made yet because of the risk of aggravating the injury, Stein adds.

Davis was the centerpiece of the controversial deal that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers shortly before the trade deadline. Davis got off to a promising start in Dallas, but he suffered a left adductor strain in the third quarter of his Feb. 8 debut and hasn’t been able to play since then.

Head coach Jason Kidd said recently that Davis “continues to trend in the right direction,” and this is further evidence that his comeback may not be far away.

Celtics aim to complete season sweep of Nets - Fastbreak

The Mavericks badly need reinforcements as they had just eight active players for Sunday’s loss to Philadelphia, and their two-way players are nearing the end of their eligibility.

Davis was in the midst of another exceptional season in L.A. before the trade, averaging 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 52.8% from the field.

He was selected to the All-Star Game for the 10th time, although he wasn’t able to play because of a previous injury.

Hardy, a third-year shooting guard, has been sidelined since March 3 because of a right ankle sprain. He’ll provide another long-distance threat for the Mavericks whenever he’s able to return, as he’s averaging 8.0 PPG and shooting 38.4% from three-point range.

Having Davis and Hardy back would greatly improve Dallas’ chances of holding onto 10th place in the West and earning a spot in the postseason. The Mavs have lost three straight games and eight of their last nine and lead 11th-place Phoenix by just a game and a half.

Celtics-Lakers, el juego más visto en los últimos siete años - AS USA