NBA
Luka Doncic’s Persistent Injury Problems Are Narrowing His Window For a Shot at MVP
Charlie is an accomplished journalist with years of experience producing sport-orientated content. A passionate basketball expert and analyst, Charlie has garnered considerable experience on both sides of the pond including published work on popular online news outlets such as 90min and FootyAccumulators. He has also worked alongside former Goldman Sachs executives on a peer-to-peer fintech trading start-up.
All posts by Charlie RhodesUpdated6 hours ago on December 22, 2024
Luka Doncic MVP odds are slowly lengthening as he battles with persistent injury issues, and his eligibility window to clinch the award is rapidly shrinking.
Luka Doncic Injury Report
Luka Doncic missed his second straight game on Saturday night due to an ongoing heel contusion, and the Mavericks have been forced to find a way to win without their points-scorer-in-chief.
That has been the story for an uncomfortable amount of their season, but Dallas have made-do with aplomb having gone 6-2 in the NBA without Doncic.
Quentin Grimes was an unlikely hero in his absence against the Clippers on Saturday night, scoring 20 points off the bench, while Kyrie Irving and Spencer Dinwiddie added 15 points each.
The Slovenian is averaging just under 29 points when he is fit and healthy, but a series of freak injuries have seen him sidelined for large swathes of his early-season slate.
He has missed eight games to be precise, which is slowly chipping away at his chances for a first career MVP award.
Luka Doncic MVP Odds Taking a Hit
Eight games missed so far out of a possible 28 means Luka Doncic’s MVP window is dwindling.
He can scarcely afford to miss many more contests, with 65 games required to be eligible for the award. That means he can only miss nine of the remaining 54 if he is to remain in the frame for MVP.
It has been a difficult campaign for the 25-year-old, who has been in and out of full fitness since suffering a calf contusion in training camp, and in doing so missed the entirety of the Mavs’ preseason.
Another two contusions on separate parts of his body, as well as a wrist sprain have massively hampered his potential for this season.
Luckily, Dallas have a deep enough roster to replace his points scoring and continue winning, but from an individual stand-point Doncic will be eager to avoid any more time in the medical room.
According to NBA sportsbooks, Doncic is still someway behind MVP favorites Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, so he still has ground to make up beyond staying healthy
MVP Odds
- Nikola Jokic +110
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander +250
- Giannis Antetokounmpo +500
- Luka Doncic +750
