The alarms went off in Dallas on Monday with less than a minute left in the game against the Denver Nuggets. A penetration by Austin Rivers ended with his body falling on the left ankle of Luka Doncic, who immediately sat up with obvious gestures of pain.
Despite the great initial concern, it seems that everything will be a scare. As reported by the journalist from ESPN Tim MacMahon, the tests the player has undergone showed no structural damage to his left ankle and knee. Still, Doncic is expected to miss a few games, although the Mavericks have ruled out “a prolonged absence.”
While his hitting percentages (43.4% on field goals and 30.8% on 3-pointers) have fallen below his career average, Doncic has maintained his positive impact on some Mavericks who have started the course with a 9-4 record. Their numbers rise to 24.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists in 34.8 minutes.
During his absence, Jalen Brunson and Frank Ntilikina emerge as the main candidates to absorb his minutes and play a bigger role.
(Cover photo by Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images)