Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic sustained an ankle sprain during the opening minutes of Saturday’s game against the Miami Heat.
According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Doncic suffered a moderate ankle right sprain. While X-rays on the ankle read negative, Doncic’s timetable for return is a few weeks. The ankle sprain occurred at the 10:32 mark in the first quarter, as Doncic stepped on Heat guard Kendrick Nunn’s foot attempting to drive to the basket.
Luka Doncic might be able to return within a couple of weeks after suffering a moderate right ankle sprain last night, sources told ESPN. Doncic likely misses upcoming stretch vs. East power (Bucks, Celtics, 76ers and Raptors this week), but Mavs feel they dodged a bullet.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) December 15, 2019
Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic Suffers Ankle Sprain, Could Miss Multiple Weeks
The Impact of Luka Doncic
The 20-year-old forward has established an MVP candidate season thus far, averaging 29 points, 8 assists, and 9 rebounds. Doncic currently leads the league in triple-doubles and became the second-youngest player in history to record a 40 point triple-double.
Only into his sophomore NBA season, Doncic has quickly made his name rise to other players like Lebron James, Giannis Antetokoumpo, and James Harden. He also has the highest usage rate among these players, as he is the number one option for the Mavericks’ success. Dallas, who is pushing to be a strong contender in the Western Conference now has to deal with an unexpected nightmare that now opens up multiple questions as to how they can move forward.
It’s not Time for the Dallas Mavericks to Hit the Panic Button
Considering that Doncic’s injury timetable is a few weeks, he could return soon before Christmas Day.
It is important to note that although the Mavericks lost 118-112 in overtime against the Heat Saturday, they managed to fight back and put up a great effort.
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 28 points, shooting 6-of-14 from three and Kristaps Porziņģis put up a double-double in the game.
When it’s down to the wire, coach Rick Carlisle will gather up the tools the Mavericks need to win games.
Even without Doncic, Dallas still has Porziņģis, who has been looking more comfortable after his injury. Porzingis, along with the multitude of guards like J.J. Barea and Seth Curry, the Mavericks will still be able to maintain enough offense to keep them high within the West for weeks to come.
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