The Dallas Mavericks fell to the Denver Nuggets on Sunday as the team sits at just 22-17 this season and continues to struggle without star guards Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Dallas has played a total of 10 games since Doncic suffered a calf injury against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Christmas Day, with the team managing to put together a record of just 3-7 during those appearances.
Additionally, the team has been without Irving for six of these matchups due to a combination of illness and a back injury, which will keep him sidelined for at least one more week, per ESPN.
This 10-game stretch included a five-game losing stretch in which four of these losses came by double digits.
Mavericks forward Klay Thompson said after the loss on Sunday that playing without Doncic and Irving is “definitely an adjustment,” but it can also be the “fun part of the season” because it will help the team grow for the playoffs.
“Championships aren’t won just because of a great run in the playoffs. You have to build great chemistry before that. Sometimes these are the games you remember the most, when you’re down and out and your team’s not at full strength but we pull through,” explained the four-time champion, per The Mavericks.
The Mavericks are now just fifth in the Western Conference standings, though more losses could prove costly for Dallas down the stretch.
Dallas is currently set to avoid the play-in tournament due to an impressive run earlier in the season, but this team is just one full game ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers for the seventh seed in the conference.
Despite the difficult batch of games for this Mavericks team, Head Coach Jason Kidd said he is still proud of the way every player is working to improve their overall growth as the season reaches the midway point.
Kidd commended the team for consistently playing with “energy and effort” despite the losses, explaining that the injuries give other players a chance to “show the energy and effort that they can display.”
“As much as injuries or an illness can be a negative, it’s a positive, because right now you can see our team is playing together and we don’t have to rely on one or the other two stars to carry that load. So, it’s kind of fun to be around,” he added, per The Mavericks.
The Mavericks will have the chance to avenge this loss in a rematch against the Nuggets on Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m., followed by six straight games that will alternate between home and away.