The Mavericks suffered a potentially major blow Thursday night in a critical game against the Suns.
Dallas guard Luka Dončić exited the game after spraining his left ankle, according to a report from TNT’s Chris Haynes. X-rays were negative, but Dončić was ruled out for the remainder of the contest.
Dončić played just three minutes before exiting, grabbing a single rebound. The Mavericks closed the first quarter in a 32-32 deadlock with Phoenix.
In his fifth season in the NBA, Dončić has taken his game to another level in 2023. His 33.8 points per game currently lead the league, his 7.8 win shares trail only Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, and he was formally voted Thursday evening to represent the Western Conference as an All-Star starter in Salt Lake City.
Despite Dončić’s dominance, which includes a 60-point game against the Knicks on Dec. 27, Dallas has struggled to emerge in a crowded Western Conference. The Mavericks currently sit in sixth place, just a game and a half clear of the 11th-place Thunder.
