“Team Sport” Mantra Echoes Through Mavericks’ Camp: Coach Stands by Luka Doncic Amidst Awards Controversy
Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic won’t qualify for any NBA Awards in the 2024-25 NBA season. The Slovenian star has only played 22 games this season and has dealt with a left calf strain. Due to this, Doncic won’t be eligible to win the MVP and any of the All-NBA Awards.
The league’s 65-game requirement is to be certified to be considered for the postseason awards. On Sunday, Doncic was listed as out for the ninth straight game against the Denver Nuggets. Overall, he’s missed 17 games in the campaign, which makes him unqualified to be nominated for any awards.
After their 112-101 loss against the Nuggets, head coach Jason Kidd addressed Doncic’s disqualification to the media.
“It’s fair, because we made the rules, so we play by the rules,” Kidd said. “Unfortunately he’s not eligible to win the MVP, but it’s a team sport and understanding that we need him back to win the championship and so understanding that the individual awards will come, but we’re playing to win a championship and hopefully we can get him back soon.”
The Mavericks are looking to capitalize on what they’ve achieved last season. During the 2023-24 campaign, Dallas beat all the other teams and made it to the NBA Finals. However, they came up short and lost to the Boston Celtics in five games. Over the summer, they improved their roster and added veteran star Klay Thompson to the mix.
However, they haven’t reached their true potential this season because of Doncic’s health issues. The great guard has averaged 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists in 22 games.
