
Luka Doncic’s hopes of claiming the MVP award this season have been dashed due to his injury-related absence, writes
Mike Curtis of Dallas Morning News. The Dallas Mavericks star missed Sunday’s game against the Denver Nuggets because of a left calf strain, marking his 17th missed game of the season.
This injury ended Doncic’s streak of five consecutive All-NBA first-team appearances and, more critically, made him ineligible for the MVP award. NBA MVP voting requires players to play a minimum of 65 games, and Doncic fell short of that mark this season.
The Slovenian joins a growing list of players who have missed enough time to miss out on this year’s major individual honors. Other stars ineligible for MVP include Kawhi Leonard, Joel Embiid, Zion Williamson, Paolo Banchero, and Chet Holmgren.
Despite being ruled out for MVP contention, Doncic remains eligible for a supermax extension with the Mavericks. The 25-year-old earned All-NBA honors in both 2023 and 2024, which means he is still in line to receive a major contract extension this offseason.
As the Mavericks (22-17) currently sit fifth in the Western Conference, Doncic’s absence could have significant implications for the team’s playoff positioning.
This season, Doncic has been performing at an MVP-caliber level, averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game in 35.7 minutes.