Jason Kidd shows concern for Luka Doncic carrying the Mavericks offense by himself: “For 82 games… The usage is just way too high”

Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd has expressed concerns regarding Luka Doncic's workload. Doncic has appeared in 22 of the 23 games the Mavericks have played this season. He is averaging 36.8 minutes of playtime per contest.

The Slovenian has carried the team's offense on his shoulders this year after the Mavs opted against signing a bonafide All-Star this offseason. Here's what Kidd told Yahoo Sports about Doncic's high usage rate:

“For 82 games, it’s no way that he can play at this level, the usage is just way too high. No one can. You know, the things that we ask him to do on the offensive end and then asked him to defend on the other end. It’s a lot.”

Doncic has the third-highest usage rate in the league at 37.2% behind Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid. The 3x All-Star has been doing everything for the Mavericks on the offensive end of the floor.

He is averaging a league-high 33.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game, shooting 51.0% from the field on a league-high 22.6 attempts per contest. He has five triple-doubles and 11 double-doubles so far.

Luka Doncic has always been a consistent performer. These numbers are highly impressive as well, but not sustainable. The Mavericks are getting too comfortable with Doncic single-handedly willing them to win. It's a young season, and the workload won't matter now, but it will take a toll on him as the season progresses.

It hasn't proved to be a recipe for success in the past, and that's unlikely to change, especially come playoff time. The Mavericks will have to find ways to get going without Doncic on the floor at times to have a better chance of making a deep playoff push this year.

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Luka Doncic drops another triple-double to lead Mavericks to a close win over Nuggets

Luka Doncic's minutes and usage rate haven't changed. The Slovenian played a team-high 37 minutes on the second night of a back-to-back on Tuesday during the Mavericks' 116-115 road win over the Nuggets.

Doncic bagged a triple-double, securing 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists. It was a close and competitive game, leading to Doncic playing heavy minutes. He didn't have the best shooting night, as he went 5 of 17 from the field.

However, Doncic ensured the rest of his teammates got going. The Mavericks made 50.0% of their shots overall, including 47.2% on 3-pointers (17 of 36). Tim Hardaway Jr. recorded his best game of the year, tallying 29 points on 7 of 12 shooting. Five players registered double-digit scores on the night.

The Dallas Mavericks have gained solid momentum with back-to-back wins over top teams like the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets. They have improved to 13-11 for the season and face a stern challenge against the Milwaukee Bucks at home next.

The Mavs have three days before that game. Jason Kidd will hope Luka Doncic gets a much-needed rest and fires on all cylinders when they host the Bucks.

Click here to read Jason Kidd's comments on Luka Doncic.