Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic sprains ankle early, doesn’t return vs. Heat

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic sprained his ankle in the first quarter of the Dec. 14 game against the Miami Heat and did not return. Get the latest here.

Dallas Mavericks fans received a gut punch early in Saturday’s game against the Miami Heat. Luka Doncic scored the first two points for the Mavs before injuring his ankle. He immediately went back to the locker room after playing just 1:40 seconds. Doncic was first deemed questionable before being ruled out before the first half wrapped up.

It was a devastating blow after his promising start to the season. Luka was averaging over 30 points and nearly a triple-double per game. He was also leading the Mavericks into the thick of the Western Conference playoff race.

Here is the latest on Luka Doncic’s injury and what it means going forward.

X-rays negative

Luka was ruled out for the rest of the game, but the Mavs PR reported that X-rays came back negative. Obviously, the injury has some severity or Doncic would have returned against the Heat. The optics were not positive. Luka’s ankle rolled and touched the court.

The Mavericks’ next game is on Monday in Milwaukee against the Bucks. The 20-year-old star should be considered questionable at best for that contest. After Saturday’s game, Coach Carlisle said Luka is unlikely to play in Milwaukee. Dallas is not going to want to rush back their best player against one of the NBA’s top teams.

What it means going forward

If Luka Doncic is forced to miss time, Delon Wright will see more minutes. He will take on the lead ball-handler and playmaking role. The Mavs have to rely on Kristaps Porzingis to be the top scorer. Coach Carlisle will also need larger contributions from Seth Curry, J.J. Barea, and Jalen Brunson while Luka is out.

The Dallas Mavericks must have Luka Doncic healthy to make a playoff run this season. Supporters should stay tuned to The Smoking Cuban for all the latest on his injury plus analysis on the team that is unmatched.