Christmas has brought the injury bug with it. Luka Doncic had to leave the Mavericks’ Christmas Day game early, and it’s not looking great. In the second quarter, he made a move at the elbow, then abruptly pulled up, passing the ball away. Immediately, he started limping and looked clearly frustrated as the play continued. He walked off the court on his own, but you could see he was struggling. Limping, he headed straight to the locker room, and fans had to be worried.

Now, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, Doncic may be out for a while with a calf strain. He even left the arena on crutches, which is definitely not a good sign. For Mavericks fans, this is a major setback—losing Luka for any length of time would be tough to overcome.

He had a solid performance before leaving, putting up 14 points and 5 rebounds in just 16 minutes. Luka shot 5-of-9 from the field and nailed 3-of-5 from three. Before this game, he was averaging nearly 29 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game. After the game, Coach Jason Kidd didn’t offer much insight into Luka’s injury history but shared his thoughts.

“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.” Kidd said.

With Luka possibly out for a while, Kyrie Irving is about to carry a much bigger load. It’s a tall order, but we all know Kyrie is up to the challenge—he’s been in big moments before. Not just Mavs’ staff but fans are also worried about their star player.

Fans are confident that their roster depth will still lead them to the playoffs without Luka Doncic

One fan was pretty confident and commented, “We don’t need him Luka take your lil break gang”. It may sound cheeky, but there’s definitely a bit of truth to it, especially when you look at how the Mavericks have managed without him in the past. Without Luka, the Mavs are 6-2.

On top of that, having Kyrie helps as well.

“basketball gods are really testing us this season 😐” wrote another fan. It’s not just about Luka’s injury—it’s the string of setbacks that have come one after another, making it feel like the universe is throwing obstacles in the Mavericks’ way.

First, the Mavs had a slow start to the season, coming off a Finals appearance last year. Then, Luka’s injury issues began piling up, starting with the knee contusion and now this calf strain.

Another netizen commented, “Team deep. Heal up Luka”. This speaks volumes about how far the Mavericks have come in terms of roster depth. While the 6-foot-6 point guard is clearly the centerpiece of the team, this season has shown that the Mavs have a more well-rounded roster than ever before.

Irving has been absolutely vital, stepping up as the go-to guy when Luka’s been out or not at 100%. Beyond that, players like Tim Hardaway Jr., Grant Williams, and Maxi Kleber have been filling key roles, showing that the team isn’t relying solely on Luka to generate offense or make plays.

One more fan commented, “It’s all good they’ll still make playoffs”. Now, with a 19-11 record, the Mavs are sitting comfortably above .500, and Kyrie has proven that he’s capable of leading the team. The Mavericks have shown they have enough talent to hold their ground and stay in the playoff hunt.

Another netizen wrote something that excites everyone. “We’re boutta see untucked Kyrie for the next weeks” they wrote. Every time Kyrie untucks his jersey, he makes plays you can’t replicate in 2K. Watching him do it on the NBA stage, where every game is a battle, makes you pause. All you can do is put your hands up, lean back, and respect the show he’s putting on.

Hopefully, we get to see this version of Kyrie.