While Luka Doncic leads the way for the surprising 27-16 Dallas Mavericks, his chemistry with Toronto native Dwight Powell in the pick-and-roll has made the play a reliable go-to option for the Mavs all season long.
However, playing Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers, Powell went down in the first quarter with a non-contact injury. He’s scheduled for an MRI some time on Wednesday for an official diagnosis, but the expectation is that he’ll be out for the rest of the season with a torn Achilles.
It’s a brutal blow for Powell, who was coming into his own as a key role player for the Mavs. This was the 28-year-old’s first season as a full-time starter, after signing a three-year, $33 million contract extension last offseason to kick in beginning next season.
Achilles injuries are historically among the trickiest for basketball players to recover from, with players such as DeMarcus Cousins and more recently Kevin Durant having been hobbled by the injury. Many of his peers around the league, including Doncic and fellow Canadian players such as Jamal Murray and Andrew Wiggins, reached out with well wishes for Powell.
