Mavericks' Luka Doncic dilemma from last season is nowhere to be found

The Dallas Mavericks had one of their most balanced wins on Saturday when they defeated the LA Clippers by a score of 113-97. The team had eight players score double-digit points with Quentin Grimes leading the way with 20 points. The Mavs' starters combined for 67 points with their backcourt tallying 46 points, 13 assists, and seven steals.

Their bench also had strong production, as they had 46 points. Besides Grimes, Naji Marshall too had a solid outing. The newest wing, Marshall, has become one of Dallas' top X-factors. He was able to outduel former Mav Derrick Jones Jr. who scored four points and went 0-4 from the 3-point line. Marshall on the other hand had 12 points and shot 66.6 percent from long range.

The team won the game without star Luka Doncic, who has missed the past two games with a heel contusion. Coach Jason Kidd and the Mavericks had been relatively silent about the injury, as Mavs fans struggled to find answers. The good news is that Doncic has been upgraded to questionable for Dallas' game on Monday against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Mavericks are finding ways to win without Luka Doncic

The Mavs' victory against the Clippers also highlighted how successful the team can be when Doncic is out for an extended period of time. It signifies the strength and power of the Mavericks' roster, which has a variety of players who can step up at any given moment, as shown on Saturday.

Dereck Lively II spoke about the team's progression without Doncic. He mentioned how the team has the tools to succeed when their star is out. Simply put, he believes their increased production across the board is a good thing for Doncic.

Lively II might be onto something. Last season, Dallas was 4-8 without Doncic. The team struggled to find help, lacking a third star to pair with Doncic and Kyrie Irving. They lacked a backup guard to take over whenever Doncic was out. The team needed another ball handler, as this was greatly exposed in the NBA Finals.

This season, Dallas has flipped the script as they are now 6-2 without Doncic. The team has numerous role players like Grimes, Marshall, and Spencer Dinwiddie to help alleviate the burden off of Doncic's shoulders. Dallas also added Klay Thompson to help give them more firepower, and he has been extremely effective recently.

One prime example was during the tail end of November; Doncic missed five games with a wrist sprain. The Mavs went 4-1 without him, as their only loss came against the Miami Heat in overtime on November 24. During that time, Dallas had scored above 120 points in three of their five games.

Coach Tyron Lue of the LA Clippers spoke about the team's style of play without Doncic. He mentioned how the team plays at an up-tempo pace and how everyone plays their role. Lue went on to state that it makes things difficult because now you have to defend a multitude of players.

To clarify Lue's point, the Mavs are a dangerous team with and without their star players. The team can attack defenders in a variety of ways. Saturday's game proves how effective Dallas can be when Doncic is out. However, the team can be even more deadly once Doncic returns.

Doncic's injuries are playing a detrimental role in his journey to obtain his first MVP. He though expressed he has bigger goals in mind, as an MVP is just an afterthought.

Mavs fans hope Doncic will return this week, as Dallas has four games over the next six days.

The Luka Show could be returning to a court near you this week, so stay tuned.