With Luka Doncic missing his 10th straight game with a left calf strain and projected to remain out through at least late January, Irving is Dallas’ best chance of remaining afloat in Western Conference amid a roaring rapids stretch of games.

Irving was absent for the most recent Mavericks game, also against the Nuggets, which the Denver side won 112-101. In that tie, he was hugely missed, with the output for his side clearly suffering from his absence: Dallas are 2-3 across their last five games in the NBA without Irving and 3-6 overall without him.