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Why Is Luka Doncic Not Playing vs Rockets? Mavs Bench 4X All-Star as Kyrie Irving-Less Struggles Continue

Published 12/22/2023, 1:46 AM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

The Dallas Mavericks are one of the teams in the Western Conference that had a great start to the season. And even with the constant injuries to their key players, the Mavericks have been able to hang around in the playoff spots. But will the Mavs survive this next game without their All-Star guard? The Mavericks are on their way to face off against the Houston Rockets. Can they survive without Luka Doncic?

With the Rockets on a losing streak and the Mavs missing key players, this might be the best time to face them and help turn their momentum around.

Why is Luka Doncic out?

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The Dallas Mavericks have currently lost two straight games as the team gets ready to face the Rockets. Dallas already is missing out on Kyrie Irving from the starting lineup and not having Luka Doncic makes it even more troublesome. According to ESPN’s Tim McMahon, the Dallas Mavericks have ruled out Luka Doncic in their next game against the Houston Rockets. They ruled Doncic out due to a strain in the quad of his left leg.

The Mavericks won their last meeting with the Rockets. So, it would be natural for Houston to get their lick back and even the score as the season goes on. And having both of their All-Stars out of the lineup would make it a difficult matchup for Dallas. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are the two leading scorers for the Dallas Mavericks. And the point of concern is that Luka has been listed as out indefinitely and not just questionable for the Rockets matchup.

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With no Doncic and Irving, the scoring responsibility will fall upon Tim Hardaway Jr., Derrick Jones Jr., and the rest of the Mavericks players. So, will the Mavs be able to avoid their first three-game loss?

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Can the Mavericks survive without Doncic?

The Houston Rockets struggling in the Western Conference league table, currently placed at the 8th spot. However, the team is stacked with young players looking to prove their worth in a league by having big games. The Rockets are already on a three-game losing streak, looking to break the pattern and get one for the win column. MVP candidate Doncic and the shifty Irving are not the only players who are listed as unavailable by the Mavericks.

Dante Exum, Josh Green, Maxi Kleber, and Dereck Lively II will not be playing for the Mavericks either. It would be interesting to see what gamelan head coach Jason Kidd goes in this game.

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Do you think the Mavericks have what it takes to avoid their first three-game losing streak this season? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

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Written by:

Abhishek Dhariwal

1,425Articles

One take at a time

“Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is best” - Tim Duncan said this once, and I took it as a sign to keep working on myself, without fail! Being a basketball player all my life, it was natural for me to eventually become an NBA writer at EssentiallySports.
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Edited by:

Sameen Nawathe