Luka Doncic is way too competitive to throw in the towel. 

That is why on Tuesday after practice, he dismissed any rumor that he would shut down his season as long as there is still a mathematical chance the Dallas Mavericks could sneak into the playoffs by way of the 10th spot in the NBA's Play-In Tournament. 

"I'm playing tomorrow," Doncic said in Tim MacMahon of ESPN's report. "When there's still a chance, I'm gonna play. So that's not gonna happen yet."

The injury report lists Doncic and Kyrie Irving as probable for Wednesday night's bout with the Sacramento Kings in Dallas. And after losing seven of the last eight games, Dallas still sits one game back from the Oklahoma City Thunder for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference. 

Really, the Thunder owns a two-game lead on the Mavericks because it owns the tiebreaker by way of winning the regular season series. 

If the Mavericks miss out on the playoffs, they are concerned about the top-10 lottery-protected pick that could land in the hands of the New York Knicks thanks to the Kristaps Porzingis trade that was made in February of 2019. 

A source close to the team told ESPN that there were discussions regarding shutting down both of its stars to ensure it maintains its top-10 lottery-protected pick. But Doncic, determined to fight to the bitter end, wasn't having any of it. 

"There's little chance," Doncic said. "We all know that, but like I said, as long as there's a chance, I'll play."

He added: "I think they knew that I wouldn't want to do it… They know me like that, so I think it was not a big discussion."

It may be admirable for a captain to go down with the ship, but that admiration doesn't mean the ship isn't sinking. 

The Mavericks traded for Irving in a move that stunk of desperation. Dallas sent away two starters and draft capital to recoup a star change-of-pace guard who can score in a hurry. 

The only problem is that in 2022, when the Mavericks took a trip to the Western Conference finals, they had that guard in Jalen Brunson on the roster. They elected not to extend his contract when the organization had the chance. And halfway through the season, Dallas realized it needed exactly what Brunson provided, so the front office went out and got Irving. 

It was a move that, on paper, made sense. On the court, however, it hasn't yielded any reward. 

Dallas is 4-11 with Doncic and Irving in the lineup. And since the trade went down the Mavericks hold an apathetic 7-15 record. 

Explaining away the struggles, Doncic blamed chemistry as the reason the Mavericks haven't been able to kick things into high gear. 

"I think you don't see that chemistry we had before… I mean, especially last year," Doncic said. "I think that chemistry was at the top, everybody. But chemistry builds not just not right away. It's a long process."

Chemistry could be one explanation, but it doesn't provide the necessary answer as to why Dallas defends at an egregiously bad rate. Part of that falls on Doncic's shoulders. His unwillingness to participate on the defensive end of the floor has handicapped the team's defensive potential. 

But also, Dallas isn't the same defensive team it was in 2022 because players like Maxi Kleber weren't healthy for most of the season. However you cut the blame pie, one truth can't be avoided: Dallas, limping, feels like it is heading toward a predictable demise, and Doncic is willing to go down with his crew.