Even with Luka Doncic sidelined due to a left calf strain, the Dallas Mavericks have managed to win two of their last three games without him and Kyrie Irving, keeping conversations about the team alive.

Irving remains questionable for tomorrow’s matchup against the Denver Nuggets due to a back injury. Meanwhile, Doncic’s return is uncertain as he hasn’t resumed practicing since suffering the injury on Christmas Day. With Sunday marking his 17th missed game of the season, Doncic is now officially ineligible for MVP consideration or an All-NBA Team selection.

The discussion around Doncic and MVP voting has shifted. While he isn’t in contention this season—his early-season performance wasn’t as strong as in previous years—former teammate Jalen Brunson criticized what he perceives as a double standard in MVP voting between Doncic and Nikola Jokic. Speaking on The Roommates Show, Brunson highlighted how last season, Doncic was dismissed from MVP talks due to the Mavericks being a No. 5 seed, despite his near-triple-double averages and late-season heroics. In contrast, Jokic, whose Denver Nuggets have struggled to stay within the top four seeds this year, remains a leading MVP candidate due to his incredible stats.

“[The Nuggets are] not seeded where they were last year, and people are still talking about [Jokic] being MVP,” Brunson said. He acknowledged Jokic’s individual brilliance but questioned why narratives differ depending on the player. He added, “When Luka was averaging damn near a triple-double, but [Dallas’] seed wasn’t ideal, the argument was he shouldn’t be MVP because of that.”

This inconsistency has frustrated Mavericks fans, who feel Doncic was unfairly penalized for team seeding, while Jokic faces no such criticism. Brunson’s comments resonate with those who believe that MVP narratives unfairly evolve for select players.

While Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander both present strong cases for MVP this season, a Jokic victory could rekindle frustrations among Mavericks fans still upset over Doncic’s missed opportunity last year.

Doncic, just 24 years old, will have more MVP chances in the future. However, as Brunson’s remarks underline, fans and critics alike are increasingly scrutinizing how narratives shift in MVP debates—a dynamic that could determine how this year’s vote unfolds come May.