The Dallas Mavericks are in a bit of a slump right now. Having lost 6 out of their last 10 heading into the Celtics game, things look bleak for the Mavs, as they miss their star guard. Yes, being unable to count on Luka Doncic and his skills on the court has left them feeble. As fans continue to clamor for positive updates on his availability, coach Jason Kidd offered a confusing one.

Mind you, Luka suffered a calf injury a month ago on Christmas Day. “He’s trending in the right direction… The things that you’ve seen, I’ve seen.” These were Jason Kidd’s exact words when asked about Doncic’s return a few days ago.

What makes all this more puzzling is journalist Marc Stein’s reports on the matter. Stein reported that the Mavs were optimistic about Doncic’s return now, a month removed from his injury!

He says Dallas expects Doncic to be back before the All-Star break. That means he’ll be back in less than two weeks. But Noah Weber’s update a few hours later further steered more confusion. “Jason Kidd said there is no update for Luka Doncic and his recovery from the calf strain that he suffered on Christmas Day,” the reporter posted.

We told you Jason Kidd’s subsequent comments on Doncic’s return were confusing.

Dallas isn’t having the best start to the New Year, that’s for sure. However, Mavericks fans may have good news to look forward to amidst the confusion regarding the Slovenian and his return. Luka Doncic isn’t the only player that the Mavs are missing.

Dereck Lively II was spotted at the Celtics game with Luka Doncic!

The Dallas Mavericks saw their injury woes worsen when their center, Dereck Lively II, was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right ankle. Fans believed his season to be over. He was expected to be sidelined for around 2-3 months…

However, just a few days later, today, at the Celtics game, we may have been given a ray of hope! Dereck Lively II was spotted alongside Luka Doncic at the Mavs’ game against the Boston Celtics wearing a walking boot. Reports revealed that this was a change from earlier in the week. What does this mean? It’s simple.

It means Dereck Lively II’s recovery is coming along well. After all, if he wasn’t cleared for it, he wouldn’t be walking around putting weight on an injured limb. So, this will give you Mavs fans some renewed hope for an early return from Lively.

“It’s a hole, it’s tough… I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Jason Kidd about the Dallas side’s center options after the Celtics game. With injuries to Dwight Powell, and now Maxi Kleber, the Mavs are running out of big man options. There is no understating how much an early return by Dereck Lively II would mean to the Mavericks…

With things looking seemingly positive on the Luka front, the Dallas faithful will be praying the reports about Lively are true as well. But hope can be a fickle thing, so take these reports with a pinch of salt.