Mavericks news: Luka Doncic slips in MVP race, Jaden Hardy injury update, more

Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic entered the season as the MVP favorite and has played arguably the best basketball of his NBA career. The problem is the Mavs are just 16-16 after 32 games, and they are barely in the play-in tournament. The team needs to play better and win more games if Doncic is going to be a legitimate MVP candidate this season.

NBA.com released their weekly Kia MVP ladder on Dec. 23, which had significant shakeups. Luka slipped to seventh in this week’s ranks with Zion Williamson passing him. Ja Morant, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis make up the top five.

The MVP race is still wide open. If the Mavericks can get back into the top four in the West and Doncic leads the league in scoring, he will have a legitimate chance to take home his first NBA MVP honors. Stay tuned to see how it all shakes out.

More Mavericks news

Injuries are a massive story for the Mavs right now. Kemba Walker joined Maxi Kleber, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Josh Green as out for Friday’s game against the Rockets. Jaden Hardy is the latest add after he injured his back in the G League Showcase. The Mavs only have ten healthy players for the Dec. 23 meeting in Houston.

Dallas slipped to 15th in Bleacher Report’s power rankings this week. The Mavericks are hovering around .500, and they have struggled to find their footing this season. There is plenty of room to move if the team starts playing better, but it has not happened yet.

NBA news

The NBA takes a break on Christmas Eve as it prepares for its five-game Christmas Day slate that kicks off with the Sixers facing the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The Mavericks host LeBron James and the Lakers at 1:30 p.m. CT, but fans will want to tune in early to see Dirk Nowitzki’s statue unveiling. Bucks versus Celtics, Grizzlies versus Warriors, and Suns versus Nuggets round out the Christmas Day action.

Dec. 25 always adds some spice to the NBA calendar. The trade deadline is just seven weeks away, and teams will begin deciding if they are buying or selling. Expect plenty of rumors and some blockbuster trades before Feb. 9, so stay tuned for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.