Time is life’s most precious commodity.
Everybody wants more of it.
On the basketball court, however, too much of it can have a debilitating long-term impact.
That’s the issue the Mavericks are going through right now with Luka Dončić. The superstar point guard has been flat-out sensational for the past dozen games and the Mavericks have done a good job of staying afloat while battling a rash of injuries.
But the wear and tear on Dončić is showing. And if it’s not, it should be. The guy has been an iron man.
“He’s doing everything that an MVP or the best player in the world does on a nightly basis,” coach Jason Kidd said after Wednesday’s 120-111 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. “And so, fatigue could be an issue. He has a newborn at home he’s taking care of. So there’s a lot of good stuff is happening in his life. So he could be tired. Someone else has to step up.”
Whether it’s tending to the new baby or rolling up 37 minutes per game this season. That’s not only a career high, but also tied for second most in the NBA this season, trailing only Houston’s Fred Van Vleet.
Lately? It’s been much more taxing because of the injury situation. Since Kyrie Irving went out on Dec. 8 at Portland, Luka has averaged 40.8 minutes per game.
His production, by the way, has not dropped off one bit. In fact, he’s playing as good as he has all season, averaging 35 points in those games.
“He’s tired. He works his ass off and he’s supposed to be tired,” Kidd said. “Why would he not be fatigued? He’s seeing double teams every night. He’s creating shots for everyone on the floor, so he’s tired every night.
“He’s the one causing the problem for the (defenders) on the floor. The issue is who can cause a problem when he’s off the floor and right now that’s what we’re looking for, but it’s hard.”
Remember, Dončić has been playing professionally since his early teens and now has been in the NBA for six seasons. There already is a lot of mileage on his 24-year-old wheels.
That the Mavericks have gone 4-3 in the seven games when Luka has been playing virtually nonstop is commendable.
Luka would never lobby for less time on the court. That’s not in his DNA. He wants to play 48 minutes 24/7/365.
But the workload needs to lessen at some point. With any luck, the injury situation improves and Kidd can find more frequent rest periods for Luka.
Who knows? Maybe it could be a less-is-more situation for the Mavericks.
Here’s our other takeaways from the loss to the Clippers.
Paint problems: The Mavericks gave up 60 points in the paint. They scored just 34. In the fourth quarter, the paint points were 20-6 in favor of the Clippers. This has been a recurring problem whenever Derck Lively II has not played. He clearly has become one of the most important players, particularly on defense. The Mavericks, by the way, are 0-4 when Lively has missed games, although they won at Portland last week when Lively was injured and played only six minutes.
Use a little shortening: Small-ball has a place in the NBA, but it’s best used in moderation. Too much of it often can backfire. But the Mavericks had no choice against the Clippers and actually forced LA to go with a smaller lineup part of the time. “Making the adjustment with the lineup going small and see how guys were going to react to that – I thought the small group did a good job,” Kidd said. “I liked what the group did, shorthanded, everyone played and put us in position to fight. A lot of character in that 
locker room.” Said Jaden Hardy, who was a solid contributor with 15 points, of the small lineup: “It just gives us more opportunities to create, to take pressure off of Luka with the guards being able to get in the paint when Luka’s being doubled.”
Ready to start another run: Dončić had made 38 of 40 free throws in the five games before the Mavericks’ visit to Denver on Monday. He then went 6-of-10 from the line against the Nuggets and 8-of-14 Wednesday against the Clippers. “I maybe jinxed him talking about him shooting 80 percent from the free-throw line,” Kidd said. Not to worry, Luka’s shooting 77.6 percent from the line for the season, easily the best mark of his career.
X: @ESefko
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