AD exits with groin injury as Mavs fall to Warriors

SAN FRANCISCO -- Dallas Mavericks star Anthony Davis suffered a right groin injury in the first half of a 126-116 Christmas Day loss to the Golden State Warriors and was ruled out prior to the third quarter.

Davis tried to sprint the floor for a hit-ahead transition pass at the 8:50 mark of the second quarter but pulled up lame and limped to the bench, asking for a substitution.

Dallas called a timeout, and trainers eventually walked a limping Davis to the locker room during the stoppage.

The team is officially calling it right groin spasms, and coach Jason Kidd declined to give an update on Davis' status postgame. The Mavs center left the locker room swiftly without speaking with reporters.

The Mavericks told ESPN's Malika Andrews that Davis was held back out of an "abundance of caution."

Davis missed 14 games earlier this campaign because of a left calf strain. Last season, after arriving from the Los Angeles Lakers in the Luka Doncic trade, Davis suffered an adductor strain in his Dallas debut and missed 18 games.

This is the second straight notable Christmas Day injury for the Mavs. Doncic strained his left calf last Christmas in a home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. It ended up being the last game Doncic would play for Dallas.