Dallas and their never-ending rough patch. What’s going on with the 2024 NBA runners-up? Are they losing their winning edge? For now, it looks like it. Not having their superstars Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic is surely affecting the performance. However, head coach Jason Kidd‘s optimism remains on top. And ahead of their rematch vs. the Denver Nuggets, there are some important updates.

The Mavericks’ head coach spoke to the media on Monday and informed: “Dante and Luka out, and Kai questionable.” Mavs have upgraded Kyrie Irving to questionable for Tuesday’s game after he spent two weeks sidelined by a bulging disc in his back. His return could be pivotal for Dallas, as Irving has already led the Mavs to a win over the Nuggets this season. Luka Doncic remains out with a calf strain but is no longer using a scooter. Team doctors will re-evaluate him later this month. Dante Exum, still recovering from preseason wrist surgery, is ramping up for a return.

Meanwhile, Kidd also informed the media that Kai was in for some practice on Monday “Did well. Looked good.” He also participated in the whole session, thus giving hope to his team that his return was near. But, in Kyrie Irving‘s absence, what has the head coach missed the most about his 32-year-old superstar? “The quarterback aspect. You look at the leadership. At his ability to score and just his presence. You know, his gravity. A lot of times denials or two on the ball while he has it. So we definitely missed that. Hopefully, we get that back soon,” Jason Kidd responded.

But then, not having Luka on the team has affected the overall balance of the Dallas Mavericks. Coach Kidd might not admit it, but their 3-7 record in the last 10 games speaks quite loudly. However, he did share the insights and effect the Slovenian star’s absence has had over the last couple of weeks.

Jason Kidd shares the aftermath of Luka Doncic’s absence

Luka was averaging 28.1 points per game before being sidelined with a calf injury. He’s missed more than 17 games so far and will be missing more. Only by the end of January, we’ll know whether he’s fit enough to wear his Dallas Mavericks jersey or not. This has resulted in a bigger dilemma for the hoopster. The head coach Jason Kidd recently informed: “He’s not eligible to win the MVP, but it’s a team sport and understanding that we need him back to win the championship.” 

Now, missing the 25-year-old All-Star point guard seems only natural as Dallas depends on him greatly for wins and leadership. Therefore, when asked: “How would you assess the team’s performance without Luka and Kyrie for the past couple of weeks?” Jason Kidd replied: “It’s been great. They’ve been playing at a high level. The energy and effort have been there. Unfortunately, we would like to win all the games, but we can learn from our wins and losses. And I think the group has done an incredible job with those two out.” 

Dallas Mavericks started really strong in the league this season. They had some good games with their latest signing Klay Thompson joining forces with Kyrie and Luka. But once Doncic became unfit, the flaws began to show themselves. And well, the rivals wouldn’t miss a chance at exploiting them right? Thus pushing them down to the 5th seed in the West, which isn’t so bad. But, winning more games would be great.

So, we’ve got to wait to see if Kyrie suits up against the Nuggets on Tuesday’s game night or not. Meanwhile, Luka is recovering, and so is Dante Exum. Now, all you have to do is be hopeful that Jason Kidd’s boys win more games while the stars are out.