Dallas Mavericks All-Star Luka Doncic Is Day-To-Day With A Left Ankle Sprain

The Dallas Mavericks and their fans saw their lives flash before their eyes Thursday night. With 8:39 remaining in the first quarter of their game against the Phoenix Suns, Mavericks star Luka Doncic checked out after appearing to roll his ankle.

Minutes later, the team announced that he had sustained a left ankle sprain and would not return to the game. Dallas beat the Suns without Doncic, 99-95, but his prolonged absence is concerning.

“He looked good; he looked fine,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said after the game. “We’ll see how he feels as we go forward. I’ll probably have more information once we get to Utah.”

The Mavericks play the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City Saturday night.

Doncic has been an iron man for Dallas this season, avoiding injuries and only missing games for load management. Luckily for the team and Doncic, initial reports indicate that the injury may not be as severe as it first looked.

“After hurting his left ankle in victory over Suns on Thursday, Mavericks All-Star Luka Doncic is expected to be day-to-day with what’s described as a ‘mild sprain,’ sources tell ESPN,” ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted Friday morning.

Mild, low-grade ankle sprains take one to three weeks to heal with rest and proper treatment. This timetable would place Doncic’s eventual return sometime in early February and before the NBA All-Star Game, to which Doncic was named a starter, on February 19.

The concern for the Mavericks is finding a way to win without their superstar. Dallas hasn’t won any games where Doncic has sat this season, going 0-5. They overcame the Suns thanks to a team effort led by Spencer Dinwiddie, who scored 36 points.

It will take a similar effort from everyone on the roster if they weather Doncic’s absence for an extended period. However, Dinwiddie doesn’t seem to think that’s likely.

“It’s nothing bad,” Dinwiddie said of Doncic’s injury. “I don’t know if he’ll be back next game or if he’ll miss a couple or something like that. It ain’t no cause for alarm where we’re about to go on a 10-game stretch without LD. He’s going to heal up nicely. He’s a young kid.”