Luka Dončić, the star player for the Dallas Mavericks, could potentially miss an extended period of time due to a calf strain. According to reports from Shams Charania of ESPN, Dončić left the arena using crutches following the Christmas Day matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Thursday to further assess the injury.

Dončić was ruled out of the game earlier due to the calf strain and was seen returning to the locker room after sustaining the injury. Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd commented on the situation post-game, stating, 'You never want anybody to get hurt or have injuries, but it's part of the game. Hopefully this will be his last one and hopefully it's not too serious.' Before suffering a wrist injury in November, Dončić had only missed one game earlier in the season, sitting out the Mavericks' contest against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to a right knee contusion. Notably, the Mavericks still managed to secure a victory in that matchup, winning 121-119.

The Dallas Mavericks have had a challenging start to the 2023-2024 season after reaching the NBA Finals the previous year. Initially, they recorded a 5-7 record through their first twelve games. However, they turned things around with a three-game winning streak that brought them above .500 before Dončić's injury. The team has since found their rhythm, holding a 19-10 record as the season progresses. Dončić, who had an MVP-caliber season last year, is currently averaging 28.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game. While these numbers are not as prolific as his previous season averages of 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds, the expectation remains that he will elevate his performance as the season advances. Nevertheless, any significant time missed by Dončić would considerably impact the Mavericks' championship aspirations, placing a greater offensive burden on teammate Kyrie Irving.