Anthony Davis is out with groin strain for second game with Mavs amid reports of longer absence

DALLAS (AP) - Anthony Davis has been ruled out of what would have been his second game with the Mavericks amid reports that a groin injury sustained in his Dallas debut could sideline him for multiple weeks.

Davis won’t play against Sacramento on Monday night after getting injured two days earlier in a 116-105 win over Houston, his first game since the seismic trade that sent fellow superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Multiple media outlets, citing anonymous sources, reported that Davis could miss several weeks with a left adductor strain. NBA reporter Marc Stein was first with the news of a potentially lengthy absence.

Any extended time without Davis will only intensify the criticism directed at Dallas general manager Nico Harrison over the controversial trade.

Mavs fans angry with Harrison over losing their beloved Doncic also have complained about the team giving up a 25-year-old superstar in his prime for an older player with an extensive injury history.

While the 31-year-old Davis played a career-high 76 games for the Lakers last season, he missed at least 20 games each of the previous five seasons.

Davis was out with an abdominal strain for his final two games with the Lakers and the first two he could have played for the Mavs. He had a dominant first half before pulling up lame late in the third quarter against the Rockets.

The 10-time All-Star said after the game he was confident it wasn’t a serious injury. He said part of the reason for leaving the game when he felt tightness in his groin and quadriceps area was because of the abdominal issue.