The Luka Doncic-Kristaps Porzingis separation should end soon.

The Mavericks’ leading duo has played together in just three of the last 17 games, a result of the sprained ankle Doncic suffered in mid-December and the right knee soreness Porzingis has dealt with the last 10 games.

In that stretch — entering Tuesday’s game against the Clippers, when Porzingis hopes to return — the Mavericks are 10-7.

Send thanks to Tim Hardaway Jr.

Before the season, Hardaway said he thought he could be Michael Finley in an analogy in which Doncic and Porzingis are Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki, a callback to the Mavericks’ Big Three of two decades ago. Instead, Hardaway began the season as sixth man.

“I’m not going to lie, it was tough,” Hardaway said. “I wasn’t getting the looks I was hoping to get, and I was battling through stuff, just trying to force a look here and there, and I knew that wasn’t my game.”

But Hardaway was inserted into the starting lineup in late November. Since then, his play has helped position Dallas to move up in the playoff race, as six of the next nine games are against teams currently occupying playoff spots.

Since Hardaway was part of the Porzingis trade last year, his fit in Dallas hasn’t been so clear.

At first, it appeared dealing Hardaway and his $20 million salary-cap hit in 2019-20 was more a clearing strategy for the New York Knicks, who had hoped to be big spenders last offseason, than it was the Mavericks getting a player they wanted.

Then Hardaway suffered a stress reaction in his left fibula that required surgery. Then he played off the bench in the Mavericks’ first 13 games this season.

Hardaway was familiar with the role. Before he started 163 of his 168 games in the last three seasons with the Knicks, Hardaway was a reserve in 99 of his 130 outings with the Atlanta Hawks from 2015 to 2017.

But the situation didn’t feel right, Hardaway said, until he became a starter Nov. 20 when Seth Curry got sick.

Hardaway’s splits since look like this:

In 13 games as a reserve, he shot 34.4% from the field, 29.5% from three and 73.1% on free throws. He had an offensive rating of 99 points per 100 possessions and defensive rating of 115. He averaged 10.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.

In 26 games as a starter, Hardaway is shooting 46.9% from the field, 43.1% from three and 81% on free throws. His offensive rating has increased to 119 and defensive rating is down to 113. He’s averaging 16.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.8 assist per game.

The Mavericks are 18-8 with Hardaway starting and lost two of the three games — to Oklahoma City and Charlotte — he missed from Dec. 31 to Jan. 4 with a strained left hamstring.

“He’s an NBA starter, there’s no question about that,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “The question was whether it was going to be better for the team having him play a sixth-man role or to be a starter, and we gave it an honest look for a significant number of games. … It was pretty clear that this is probably the way we should go.”

There are several factors for Hardaway’s development.

Starting means he gets more minutes alongside Doncic, who often draws extra attention and uses his elite vision to find open teammates. In the 655 minutes the two have spent on the court together this season, the Mavericks are plus-15.5 in points, plus-4.4 in rebounds and plus-1.6 in assists compared with opponents.

“It feels like when you pass to him,” Doncic said, “he’s going to make every shot.”

Plus, Hardaway feels a better rhythm and continuity in Carlisle’s system after playing for six head coaches in his seven-year career.

With Porzingis listed as questionable against the Clippers — but likely to play if he warms up pain-free Tuesday — the Mavericks are hoping to add another layer of consistency to the foundation Hardaway has established in the last two months.

“You put all those things together, and you get that confidence from the coach to go out and execute,” Hardaway said. “It makes your life a lot easier.”