The Dallas Mavericks' promising run in the 2020 NBA Playoffs was cut short by a meniscus tear sustained by big man Kristaps Porzingis in his right knee, which wound up requiring surgery. Porzingis first suffered the knee injury during Game 1 of the team's first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Porzingis still managed to play in Games 2 and 3, but he was eventually shut down for the remainder of the season. The Mavs ultimately lost the series in six games.

The Mavs themselves have not set an official timetable for Porzingis' return, but a medical expert in Dr. Rajpal Brar, DPT, gave his opinion regarding the matter.

Via Dalton Trigg of Sports Illustrated:

“Typically, for high-level elite athletes who undergo a lateral meniscus repair, the average return timeline is about three-to-four months,” says Dr. Brar. “So, assuming the NBA starts in mid-January, that would have KP back for the start of the season or early on in the season.”

Assuming that the NBA could be starting the 2020-2021 season on Dec. 22 (the other option is MLK Day about a month later), Dr. Brar notes that Porzingis could potentially miss the first three weeks of the season. The Mavs would have to lean on their main man in Luka Doncic if that's the case.  The Mavs' offseason roster moves will also factor in whether or not the team will be able to withstand not having Porzingis available.

The Latvian's projected short-term absence should be an encouraging sign for Mavs fans everywhere, as they are all hoping for an even better performance from the team in the upcoming season.