PHOENIX -- A few minutes into the Dallas Mavericks’ 99-95 win over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, frustration turned to panic.
Luka Doncic sprained his left ankle, stepping on a defender’s foot while pivoting in the post, about three minutes into the first quarter. He limped down the court before director of player health and performance Casey Smith walked him back to the locker room.
Game-ending injury to the 23-year-old superstar on top of the Mavericks’ five-losses-in-six-games skid?
No doubt all fans’ worst fear.
Until Spencer Dinwiddie and crew intervened.
Dinwiddie tallied a season-high 36 points (10 of 18 from the floor and 5 of 6 from three) and added six rebounds and nine assists in 40 minutes. He posted the first 20-point first-half of his career and then banked in a three with 3:32 remaining to help cushion the Mavericks’ clutch-time margin.
After Suns veteran Chris Paul scored a pair of layups in the final minute, Dwight Powell sealed the victory by drawing a foul on an offensive rebound with 12 seconds remaining and hitting two free throws.
The victory won’t count as the Mavericks’ first without Doncic this season, but after five losses in their superstar’s absences before his abrupt exit in Footprint Center, Dallas’ tenacity on defense and stamina during clutch time boosted spirits as Doncic’s injury outlook remains uncertain.
At times throughout the season, Doncic has hobbled down the court, appeared to limp, and reacted slowly after hard falls -- only to shake off the ailment or pause his exaggerations in hopes of a foul call and continued playing in good health.
That’s what made clear Doncic didn’t dramatize his pain Thursday.
When he dribbled toward the paint at the 8:55 mark in the opening period, he didn’t face physical defense or take a hit from primary defender Cam Johnson.
While spinning in the post and pivoting on his right foot, he tried to plant his left to take a Dirk-esque one-legged fadeaway shot and instead stepped on help defender Mikal Bridges’ foot.
Rather than shooting, Doncic passed the ball behind his head to Tim Hardaway Jr. in the corner and immediately jumped, grabbing his left ankle.
He limped back on defense after Hardaway missed a 3-point attempt, and after the Suns clanged their ensuing shot, coach Jason Kidd called timeout to pause play.
Smith met Doncic at mid-court, and manual therapist Casey Spangler joined them when Doncic stopped to grab his ankle on the walk back to the locker room.
After the athletic training staff took X-Ray of Doncic’s ankle, which were negative, in the arena, Smith and general manager Nico Harrison emerged together from the tunnel near the Mavericks’ locker room between the first and second quarters.
Moments later, the Mavericks announced Doncic would miss the remainder of the game.
He did not return to the bench.
How long might Doncic be out?
His history with ankle sprains doesn’t offer a clear estimate.
Last season, Doncic missed three games after spraining his left knee and ankle in the final minute of the Mavericks’ Nov. 15 win over the Denver Nuggets.
Doncic returned after eight days, but didn’t appear to be at full strength. He sat out the second night of a back to back with left ankle soreness five games later, and three games after that, he sat six consecutive outings with left ankle soreness again.
He also sprained his left ankle during Game 3 of the 2020 playoffs in the NBA bubble and played through the injury for the remainder of the first-round series against the Clippers.
Doncic has sprained his right ankle three times in the last three years, missing one game in January 2022, seven in January-February 2020 and four in December 2019.
Another painful note: Doncic finished the game Thursday with zero points with one rebound in 4 minutes, the first scoreless game of his career and the fifth time in 309 career games that he did not reach double-digit scoring.
Doncic’s previous career-low was two points against the Miami Heat on Dec. 14, 2019, when he sprained his right ankle two minutes into the game.
The four-minute stat line dethroned Doncic, at least for now, as the NBA’s leading average scorer, down from 33.8 points per game to 33, behind Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid.
A few hours before tipoff, the NBA announced Doncic will be a Western Conference starter during the 2023 All-Star Game Feb. 19 in Salt Lake City.
Not how Doncic wanted to celebrate his fourth consecutive selection, but victory might help ease the pain.
