Kidd’s no-nonsense reaction to Luka Doncic’s MVP ineligibility shows Mavs’ priorities

Despite a valiant effort and leading by 19 points at one point in the game, the Dallas Mavericks fell to the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, dropping to 22-17 on the season. They are now the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference, and their record over the last 10 games (3-7), is tied with the Utah Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans for the worst record over the last 10 games in the West.

Dallas has now gone 3-6 since Luka Doncic went down with a calf strain on Christmas Day, and things have been especially hard lately without Kyrie Irving as well since he is dealing with a back injury. Winning without both of your superstars is never going to be easy, and the Mavs are doing their best to stay above water in a cutthroat Western Conference.

There is no such thing as an easy game in today's NBA, and Mavericks fans are finding that out with one game at a time. Every game is a battle, and fans are eager for Doncic and Irving to return to the hardwood once they're healthy.

With Doncic missing his 17th game of the season against Denver, he is officially ineligible to win MVP or make an All-NBA Team. This ends Doncic's legendary streak of making five All-NBA First Teams in a row, and he also can't win MVP, regardless of how he finishes the season.

Kidd and Doncic have their eyes on bigger prizes than individual awards

The 65-game threshold is controversial to some players because certain contract incentives can now be affected by them being ineligible for these awards, and it could push the players to play in games that they may not be ready to play in. It's a sticky situation for players who are rehabbing injuries and feel pressure to play, but Doncic and the Mavs aren't taking any chances.

Despite Doncic not being eligible for either award now, he's not worried about it, and neither is Jason Kidd. He was asked about Doncic not being eligible for the end-of-season awards before Sunday's game against Denver, and his answer reflects the same feeling that Doncic has.

"Unfortunately 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," Kidd said. "The individual awards will come, but we’re playing to win a championship and hopefully we can get him back soon."

Just like Doncic is, Kidd is fully locked in on winning the NBA Finals. Doncic making another All-NBA Team would have been nice when it comes to building his resume, but a ring triumphs all. Dallas showed how deadly they can be in the playoffs last year with Doncic and Irving leading the way, and Kidd is lasered in on leading the team to another similar run this year.

While this recent stretch has been filled with struggles, the light at the end of the tunnel is coming. Doncic seems to be in great spirits while supporting his teammates at recent games despite being sidelined with injury, and Irving was seen shooting jumpers at practice over the weekend. Things are trending in the right direction for both superstars, and they will quickly remind the rest of the NBA how powerful Dallas is when they're at full strength.

The return of both superstars is going to help get Dallas back exactly where they need to be, and Doncic being disqualified from winning MVP or making an All-NBA Team will be an afterthought in no time.