Why the Mavericks’ Luka Doncic won’t be eligible for MVP, All-NBA this season

Luka Doncic will not be in the lineup for the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday afternoon against the Denver Nuggets, which is no surprise since he is out with a left calf strain for at least the next two weeks.

It marks Doncic’s 17th missed game of the season, ending his streak of five consecutive All-NBA first-team appearances and making him ineligible for the MVP award.

Doncic joins a growing list of stars who will not meet the NBA’s 65-game requirement for awards, including Kawhi Leonard, Joel Embiid, Zion Williamson, Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren.

“I think it’s just part of nature right now with the way the rules are set up,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “When you have a serious injury, it can knock you out of it, but we know he’s one of the best players. He’s always mentioned as an MVP candidate.”

Doncic averaged 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game before his upward momentum came to an abrupt halt on Christmas Day against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He left the arena on crutches and underwent an MRI the next day that revealed a left calf strain.

He will be re-evaluated at the end of January, but the injury has already caused him to miss eight games – and counting. Doncic’s 2024-25 season has been defined by injuries. He was out for five games with a right wrist sprain, two games with a left heel contusion and one game with a knee contusion. He also missed all of training camp and the preseason with a left calf contusion.

The Mavericks are currently on a four-legged home stretch, including two straight wins, and Doncic has been in every game. He was unable to walk under his own power when the Cleveland Cavaliers visited on Jan. 3. He was limited to a scooter, but he hasn’t had it in the past two games against the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 7. and January 9.

Doncic returned to the court Saturday for an individual shootout with Mavericks assistant Marko Milic. He didn’t lift and could only shoot flat-footed, but his progress encourages Kidd.

“It’s great to see him spot shooting,” he said. “He has worked extremely hard on the floor and then off the floor.”

Dallas is 9-7 this season in games Doncic has missed. The Mavericks will play the Nuggets twice, Oklahoma City twice, Minnesota, and their first NBA Finals rematch against the Boston Celtics is scheduled for Jan. 27, currently his re-evaluation date.

There have been several players to step up in Doncic and Kyrie Irving’s absence, including Quentin Grimes, PJ Washington Jr. and Spencer Dinwiddie.

Jaden Hardy’s recent offensive surge has given the Mavericks a scoring punch off the bench. He has led the NBA in 3-point percentage (55.6%) since December 28th.

“You never want to see guys go down with an injury, but in this league it’s the next man up,” Hardy said. “I’m just trying to take advantage of the opportunities I’ve been given. I just try to be a good teammate when I’m out there. Just bring energy and I feel like that alone can change a game. That’s what I’m all about, just coming in and trying to make an impact and play the right way.”

Despite missing out on NBA honors this season, Doncic remains eligible to sign a supermax extension with the Mavericks this offseason as he earned All-NBA honors in 2023 and 2024.

The Mavericks are currently in fifth place in the Western Conference with two important games against the fourth place Nuggets on Sunday and Tuesday. There are seeding implications with the two-game series. Dallas can win the season series 3-1 with two wins, split the season series with one win and one loss, and lose the season series to Denver with two losses.

Doncic won’t be available for either game, but the Mavericks are hopeful they won’t be without their franchise centerpiece for much longer.

“Our mindset is hopefully he gets healthy sooner rather than later and we can get him back on the floor,” Kidd said.

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