Dallas Mavericks stabbed in heart with untimely injury to young guard

In the Dallas Mavericks' game against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, Luka Doncic exited the game in the fourth quarter with hamstring soreness.

This caused Doncic to miss the team's trip to Oklahoma City, and the Mavs received more unfortunate injury news on Thursday as Josh Green suffered an ankle sprain when accidentally stepping on Dereck Lively II's foot.

This injury came at the worst possible time for the Mavs, as every game matters at this point in the season, and now someone else will have to step up.

Dallas Mavericks stabbed in heart with untimely injury to young guard

Green hasn't been playing as much since Derrick Jones Jr. replaced him in the starting lineup, but he still plays a key role for this team. This season, Green is averaging 8.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 0.8 steals per game while shooting 49.3 percent from the field and 40.1 percent from downtown.

Green is arguably the best 3-point shooter on the team from the corners, and he hustles endlessly. Green's energy is infectious, and this is a tough blow for Dallas as they try to claw out of being in the Play-In Tournament.

As things stand now, Dallas is the eighth seed in the Western Conference with a record of 38-29. The Mavs are just one game back from the sixth-seeded Sacramento Kings, and escaping the Play-In Tournament is a big possibility for this team.

There have been no updates on Green's ankle other than that the X-rays are negative (subscription required), but having him back quickly without rushing his return is ideal. Green has missed time in both of the last two seasons with elbow injuries, and getting him back soon will be important as it will allow him to build some consistency before the NBA Playoffs.

Consistency is one thing that Green has struggled with for his whole career, and throwing him into the lineup right before the playoffs start wouldn't be ideal. If Green can get back soon, get some solid games under his belt, and improve slightly on defense, he could take Dallas' playoff chances to another level.

Green at his best is one of the most important players for the Mavs, and hopefully, he can return to his peak form once returning from this ankle injury.

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