The Mavericks are currently 20-15 as they have dropped to the seventh seed in the Western Conference. It will be on Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson to keep the team afloat until Doncic's return and give them a shot at making a deep playoff run this season.

Dec 25, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks are going to be seriously shorthanded for the next little while. Kyrie Irving is expected to miss a week or two due to a bulging disc in his back, ESPN's Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon reported Monday,