NBA
Mavs’ fears confirmed: how long will Luka Doncic be out and will he still be eligible for MVP?
Doncic suffered an injury in the defeat to the Timberwolves which will impact his hopes of both collective and individual NBA success.
The Dallas Mavericks have been dealt a huge blow as they look to continue their charge towards the NBA playoffs with the news that Luka Doncic is set for an extended spell on the sidelines.
What injury does Luka Doncic have?
As reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon, the Slovenian superstar will be out for “at least a month” after sustaining a calf injury in the Christmas Day defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Doncic left American Airlines Center on crutches on Wednesday, with an MRI scan on Thursday confirming the guard had suffered a strain.
The Mavs are expected to “reevaluate” the 25-year-old’s condition in a month, which means his actual time on the sidelines could ultimately be longer.
The 25-year-old was forced off court late in the second quarter against the Timberwolves, grimacing after planting his left foot on a dribble. He immediately looked over to the sidelines, signalling there was no way he could continue.
How many games will Doncic miss?
At this stage, an absence of a month appears to be the best-case scenario.
If that turns out to be accurate, Doncic will miss at least 15 games, which will knock him out of the running for this season’s NBA awards, including MVP and the All-NBA teams.
What are the eligibility rules for NBA MVP?
NBA rules state a player can miss no more than 18 games to be considered eligible for the MVP award. Doncic has already sat out eight games due to various fitness issues and only has a margin to miss another nine as a result.
Unless he makes a miraculous recovery, it appears as if Doncic’s wait for a first ever NBA MVP award is set to continue.
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