The NBA’s 2 BIGGEST Stories Have Returned…
The NBA season has already delivered its fair share of drama, statistical fireworks, and shifting power dynamics, but nothing has sent more shockwaves across the league than the return of two of its premier talents: Anthony Davis in Dallas and Jalen Williams in Oklahoma City.
These two comebacks aren’t just injury returns. They are season-shaping events for two franchises traveling very different trajectories. One is trying to salvage a collapsing season; the other is attempting to protect a historic start. Yet both returns carry weight, narrative power, and the potential to redefine the months ahead.
Anthony Davis: A Return Dallas Desperately Needed
When the Dallas Mavericks traded for Anthony Davis last season, sending Luka Dončić to the Lakers in a blockbuster move that shook the NBA, the front office believed they were pairing a franchise cornerstone with a generational interior defender still capable of anchoring a playoff run.
Injuries changed that vision quickly.
Davis played only five games this season before suffering a left calf strain on October 29, an injury eerily reminiscent of his past lower-body setbacks. Dallas went 2-3 with him healthy, a modest but promising start, before spiralling to 3-11 without him.
By the time he stepped back on the floor Friday night against his former team, the Mavericks were 5-14, tied for the second-worst record in the Western Conference. A team built around star brilliance suddenly had no gravity, no rim deterrence, and no identity.
But his return changed the atmosphere instantly.
His On-Court Impact
In his first game back, Davis played 28 minutes and delivered a well-rounded performance:
- 12 points
- 5 rebounds
- 5 assists
- 3 blocks
- 6-for-10 shooting
The Mavericks still lost 129-119 to the red-hot Lakers, but Davis’ presence was unmistakable. His passing out of the post, his ability to quarterback the defense, and the spacing he creates simply by being a lob threat restored a sense of structure.
The truth is simple: Dallas needs Anthony Davis to be healthy more than they need anything else.
Their record without him proves it. Their roster construction demands it. Their season depends on it.
The Bigger Picture
Before his injury, Davis was averaging:
- 20.8 points
- 10.2 rebounds
- 2.2 assists
- 1.6 steals
- 1.2 blocks
- 52% FG
This version of Davis was far from his peak, but still one of the most impactful two-way bigs in the league. And if Dallas hopes to claw their way back into relevance, they need him to be more than stable, they need him to be the tone-setter.
The Mavericks have invested heavily in a Davis-centered future. This return marks the beginning of finding out whether that future can still be real.
Jalen Williams: The Missing Piece Returns to an 18–1 Powerhouse
On the other end of the Western Conference spectrum lives the Oklahoma City Thunder, the reigning champions, the league’s most consistent team, and a group that has started the season 18-1 with the best point differential through 19 games in NBA history.
They have been unstoppable… without one of their best players.
Jalen Williams, a rising star, two-way cornerstone, and one of the NBA’s most versatile offensive creators, missed the first 19 games of the season after undergoing offseason wrist surgery. He played with torn ligament damage throughout OKC’s championship run, an unbelievable show of toughness that only became fully understood in July when he finally elected to repair the injury.
His absence didn’t slow OKC, but his return elevates them into something even more frightening.
Williams’ Return Meant Something Different
On Friday night against Phoenix, Williams made his long-awaited season debut:
- 11 points
- 4 rebounds
- 8 assists
- 2 steals
- 29 minutes played
The Thunder won 123-119, extending their winning streak to 10 games and improving to a mind-blowing 18-1 on the year. Williams wasn’t hyper-efficient (3-for-12), but his playmaking, defensive activity, and ability to calm OKC’s half-court offense were immediately visible.
A Star on the Rise
Last season, Williams averaged:
- 21.6 points
- 5.3 rebounds
- 5.1 assists
- 1.6 steals
He earned:
- All-Star selection
- All-NBA Third Team
- All-Defense Second Team
He was one of only four players to record 1,400 points, 300 rebounds, 300 assists, and 100 steals, joining Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and James Harden.
His return gives OKC the one thing they had been missing through all their dominance: an elite perimeter connector next to MVP frontrunner SGA. A player who can run the offense for stretches. A defender who can take the toughest wing assignment every night. A scorer who can go get 25 when needed.
The Championship Implications
This isn’t just a comeback. This is the final puzzle piece snapping back into place for a team already performing at historic levels.
With Williams back, OKC possesses:
- A top-2 defense
- A top-3 offense
- The MVP frontrunner
- The best record in the league
- Championship experience
- A fully healthy roster
There is no other team in basketball with this combination of youth, discipline, depth, and star power.
His return didn’t save a season, it might define it.
Two Returns, One Theme: The NBA Just Shifted
Anthony Davis’ comeback shapes the desperation of the NBA for a team trying to survive.
Jalen Williams’ comeback shapes the dominance of a team trying to repeat.
Two players, two paths, one impact:
The NBA just changed, twice in the same night.
