Luka Doncic gained’t be within the lineup for the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday afternoon in opposition to the Denver Nuggets, which is not any shock since he’s sidelined with a left calf pressure for at the very least the subsequent two weeks. It marks Doncic’s 17th missed game of the season, which ends his streak of five consecutive appearances on an All-NBA first team and makes him ineligible for the MVP award. Doncic joins a rising record of stars who won’t meet the NBA’s 65-game requirement for awards, together with Kawhi Leonard, Joel Embiid, Zion Williamson, Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren. “I feel that’s simply a part of the character proper now with the way in which the foundations are arrange,” stated Mavericks coach Jason Kidd. “When you’ve a extreme harm, it will possibly knock you out of that, however we all know that he’s among the finest gamers. He’s at all times talked about as an MVP candidate.” -via Dallas Morning News / January 12, 2025
