“Save Him at This Point”: Mavericks Fans Don’t Want Luka Doncic to Return Until All-Star Break

Usually considered one of the healthier stars in the NBA, Luka Doncic has struggled to stay on the court for the Dallas Mavericks this season. The superstar guard missed eight of the team’s first 28 games before suffering a calf strain that has held him out since December 27. The Mavs have struggled in his absence, but Shams Charania underlined that Doncic could return to the court soon.

Charania reported that Doncic’s goal is to return before February’s All-Star break. Considering that Dallas has fallen to 23-21 and ninth in the Western Conference thanks to their recent skid, the five-time All-Star seemingly can’t return soon enough. However, fans shared their disapproval at the idea of Doncic rushing a return in an attempt to save the Mavs’ disappointing campaign.

REPORT: Luka Doncic’s goal is to be back before All-Star Break, per @ShamsCharania.

(via @ESPNNBA) pic.twitter.com/i5S0NEy1NT

— MFFL NATION (@NationMffl) January 22, 2025

In response to Charania’s report, some were confused why Doncic was attempting to rush back. The Dallas faithful understand how imperative the 25-year-old’s health is for the franchise’s long-term success, so they’d rather see Doncic take his time during his injury recovery.

“F*** that. Save him at this point,” one fan responded on X.

“Might as well wait longer. What’s the rush?” another questioned.

“Real Mavericks fans understand, this won’t turn our season around. Luka lookin’ rough these days,” a third added, stating that a hasty return for the seven-year veteran won’t guarantee a playoff berth.

Despite high expectations following the team’s NBA Finals berth last season, Mavs fans are looking at the big picture when it comes to their cherished MVP candidate.

The Dallas Mavericks have underwhelmed following Finals appearance

The Mavericks have notably strengthened their roster over the last couple years, adding key pieces like PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, and of course, Kyrie Irving. However, even with those additions, the team is nothing more than average when Doncic is sidelined. Dallas boasts a 13-9 record when Luka plays this season, averaging 118.7 points per game. Those numbers fall off significantly without the Slovenian star, though, as the Mavs have gone just 10-11, averaging 111.5 points per game in his absence.

Dallas continued to tweak their rotation coming into the new season, but the franchise couldn’t have prepared for Doncic’s long-term ailment. It appears he’ll be returning soon, but if his calf injury is re-aggravated, the Mavericks’ season will really be in shambles.

After a 50-win season and a surprise NBA Finals appearance, expectations were undoubtedly high for the Mavericks this year. However, teams can’t plan for injuries to their best players even with a handful of savvy moves. Dallas’ disappointing campaign doesn’t mean that the franchise’s title window is closed, it simply signifies that the franchise understands they’ve been dealt a poor hand this season. Instead of trying to force the best out of the campaign, fans believe the team should be looking to return to contention next season with a hopefully healthy Doncic.