The Dallas Mavericks have soared up the Western Conference standings over the past month. After starting the 2024-25 season with a record of 9-8, Luka Doncic and company reeled off seven wins in a row, and entered Christmas Day having won 10 of their last 12. But they not only lost their holiday showdown against the Timberwolves, but may have lost their most important player for an extended period of time.
Can The Mavericks Stay Afloat Without Luka Doncic?
Late in the second quarter against Minnesota, Doncic apparently injured his left calf. He immediately motioned to the Mavericks’ bench to call in a replacement, and didn’t return to action throughout the game. Without their leading scorer, Kyrie Irving was able to put up a season-high 39 points, but Dallas came up short and picked up their 11th loss of the season.
While the loss hurt, the injury to Doncic could prove to be costly. He has an MRI scheduled for Thursday to determine the severity of the calf issue, but it is likely that he will be out for an extended period of time, according to immediate reports. After the game, he was seen leaving the arena with the help of crutches.
The Dallas Mavericks are bracing for star Luka Doncic to miss an extended period of time after sustaining a calf strain, sources tell me and @espn_macmahon. Doncic left the arena on crutches today in Dallas. He is expected to undergo an MRI on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/QKRIHfya10
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 26, 2024
The Mavericks will finish the day in 4th place in the West, holding a 2-game lead on the 6th place Clippers. But will they be able to maintain their spot without Luka Doncic?
They’ve played without him plenty of times already this season. The 7th-year guard has already missed eight of the team’s 30 games, and they’ve fared well without him. They are 6-2 without Doncic in the lineup, with 5 of those victories coming on the road. They’ll need to duplicate that success during the first week without him, as the Mavericks are set to play five of their next six games away from home.
This is not the first time that Doncic has injured the same calf. It is at least the third known instance of the left leg suffering an ailment, which has caused him to miss playoff games in the past, as well as the entirety of the most recent training camp.
“Hopefully this will be his last [injury]”, said head coach Jason Kidd. “Hopefully it’s not too serious.”
