Do the Mavericks Have a Luka Doncic Problem?

Dallas' win over the Thunder on Sunday night raises some uncomfortable questions

Nov 12, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) talks with Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) after being called for a foul in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images / Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks picked up a 121-119 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night, beating the top team in the West without Luka Doncic. It was their second signature win of the young season, but this one certainly carried some weight, beating such a good team with Doncic. So this has raised the question, do the Mavericks have a Luka Doncic problem?

It seems like a silly thing to ask, as Doncic is averaging 28.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 7.8 APG, but he is shooting a career-low from the floor at 42.7% and has the lowest defensive box plus-minus of his career at -0.1, the first time he's been categorized as a below-average defender with this statistic. His usage rebounds, assists, and win shares per 48 minutes are all either the worst of his career or second-worst. This isn't even factoring in the stuff that isn't in the stat book, like his conditioning, body language, key mistakes at the end of games, and criticism of officials. To say it hasn't been a great start to the season for him is putting it lightly.

READ MORE: Denver Nuggets Eyed Luka Doncic in 2018 in Chaotic Dallas Mavericks 'What-If'

By his own admission, Luka Doncic has not been at 100% to start this season. He dealt with a calf contusion in training camp that forced him to miss all of the preseason, then has been battling knee and groin issues over the last week, with him missing Sunday due to a knee contusion.

"A little bit less [than 100%]," Doncic answered to how he was feeling after Saturday's win against the San Antonio Spurs. "It's probably a matter of time, [there's] just not a lot of time to rest but I'll get better for sure. Promise."

Resting Doncic while he gets healthy might be a consideration for the Mavericks, who showed on Sunday they can win big games without him, but for them to be at their best, they need Luka Doncic. There's a reason he entered the season as the MVP favorite, and even if he's slipped to fourth in FanDuel's MVP odds, Dallas won't sniff a championship without him playing at a high level. Saying otherwise is having blind faith in other players.

Jason Kidd said on Sunday he hopes to have Doncic back for their game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night, but with the Pelicans at 4-10, it may make more sense to sit Doncic again with a rematch coming up against the Denver Nuggets on Friday. The Nuggets squeaked by the Mavericks a little over a week ago despite Kyrie Irving exploding for more than 40 points. Getting a healthier Doncic for that game could be the difference.

READ MORE: 3 Takeaways From Mavericks' Shocking Win Over Thunder

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