Luka Doncic Ruled out for Mavericks' Game vs. Grizzlies with Ankle Injury

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic will miss at least one game with an ankle injury. 

The Mavs public relations staff announced on Twitter that Doncic won't play on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies with a sore left ankle. 

Saturday marks the second night of a back-to-back for the Mavericks. They lost 107-91 to the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. Doncic scored 21 points on 7-of-20 shooting (0-of-6 from three) with 10 rebounds and seven assists in 35 minutes. 

Doncic appeared in at least 61 games through his first three seasons in the NBA. When he's healthy, he's one of the best guards in the league. 

The 22-year-old averaged 27.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game while shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 35.0 percent from deep during the 2020-21 campaign. He has followed that up by averaging 25.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game this year, but he's only shooting 44.5 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from three-point range. 

Without Doncic, the Mavericks don't look nearly as good. Jalen Brunson and Frank Ntilikina are next in line to fill in at point guard and they aren't nearly as effective. 

Brunson has averaged 14.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 50.4 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from deep. 

The Mavericks are 11-10 on the season, fifth place in the Western Conference. If they want to compete with teams like the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns, they'll need Doncic to be healthy moving forward.