Luka Doncic injury update ends legendary streak as Mavs brace for brutal stretch

The Dallas Mavericks suffered the unthinkable on Christmas Day against the Minnesota Timberwolves when Luka Doncic suffered a calf strain in the second quarter. This was supposed to be one of Dallas' top games on their schedule considering it was a Western Conference Finals rematch on Christmas, but this typically fun day turned into a nightmare.

Doncic's injury occurred on a normal-looking play, and Doncic was visibly emotional after getting hurt. He knew he was seriously injured immediately, and went to the locker room immediately. This was the last thing that Mavs fans expected to happen on Christmas, and the reporting over the last day or two following the injury hasn't been promising either.

Doncic left the arena on crutches, and he will be re-evaluated in a month according to ESPN's Shams Charania. An entire month without Doncic is not ideal, especially considering that the Mavs' schedule is only poised to get harder. Their schedule at the beginning of January is arguably their toughest stretch of the season, and Doncic being out for this extended period of time officially ends a legendary streak that he doesn't get enough credit for.

Doncic's All-NBA Team streak demolished by one-month absence

With Doncic set to miss at least the next month, he will not be eligible to be on any of the All-NBA teams or win MVP. Doncic had been a member of the All-NBA First Team in each of the last five years, and that unbelievable streak is set to end this season. Doncic was the third player in NBA history to have five All-NBA First Team selections before turning 26 years old along with Tim Duncan and Kevin Durant, and now he doesn't even have a chance at keeping this streak alive.

Being named a top-five player in the NBA over five of his first six seasons in the NBA is an incredible honor, and his next chance to chase that honor will be next season. Despite the glory that comes with winning these honorable individual awards, Doncic has stated multiple times that he isn't focused on winning them.

He is locked in on winning the NBA Finals, and that goal is still extremely achievable even after his injury. Dallas is 7-2 in games without Doncic this season, and Kyrie Irving is more than capable of taking his game to the next level to lessen the blow of Doncic's absence.

Irving had an excellent game on Christmas as he nearly willed the Mavericks to a comeback victory, and Klay Thompson is also still optimistic about taking his game to "another level" with the Mavs moving forward. Dallas should be just fine without Doncic, and as long as they can remain somewhere in the middle of the pack in the West until Doncic returns, a top-four seed will still be a feasible award.

While Doncic won't be able to make an All-NBA team this year, he can still achieve his main goal of winning it all, and that is far more important. The Mavs will be put to the test over the next few weeks when having to navigate the nightmare stretch that is ahead of them, and fans will have a much better idea of how this team is going to fare without Doncic this time around soon.