Dwight Powell done for year after suffering Achilles rupture in Clippers loss
Just as the Dallas Mavericks had one player return to the court from injury, another is done for the year.
With just less than three minutes left in the opening quarter of their 110-107 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night at the American Airlines Center, Dallas center Dwight Powell caught the ball near the top of the key and started to make a move to drive through the lane to the hoop.
As he took his first steps, however, Powell suddenly fell to the ground completely untouched as his right leg collapsed.
Powell remained on the ground, clearly in pain, for several minutes before he was helped off the floor. The 28-year-old did not return, finishing the night with one point and three rebounds. Powell is expected to miss the rest of the season, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
prayers up for my guy!!! @DwightPowell33 you will come back stronger🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/cCAorXuhuM
— Luka Doncic (@luka7doncic) January 22, 2020
He is set to undergo an MRI on Wednesday, though Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said it’s “feared to be severe,” via Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News.
“Guys like him define the culture that we want here,” Carlisle said, via NBA.com’s Michael C. Wright. “It doesn’t get much tougher than this.”
Following his MRI, the team announced on Wednesday that everyone’s worst fears had been confirmed: Powell ruptured his Achilles. No decisions about surgery have been made yet, but Powell is definitely done for the year.
The Dallas Mavericks announced today that center Dwight Powell suffered a rupture of his right Achilles tendon.
Powell is currently weighing his surgical options and updates will be provided as appropriate. pic.twitter.com/uigQ2qsX6c— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) January 22, 2020
Powell has averaged 9.6 points and 5.7 rebounds so far this season for the Mavericks, his sixth in the league and his first as a true starter. He is in the final year of a four-year, $37 million deal with Dallas.
Though the Mavericks nearly overcame a 14-point deficit in the second half, they couldn’t quite pull off the win. Doncic led the Mavs with a near triple-double, finishing with 36 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. added 13 points, and Kristaps Porzingis — who had missed their previous 10 games with soreness in his right knee — dropped 10 points and nine rebounds in 27 minutes.
Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 36 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 12-of-29 from the field. Landry Shamet added 18 points, and Lou Williams finished with 16 points off the bench.
Here’s the first part of what Doc Rivers said postgame. Said he didn’t know the status of Pat Beverley. pic.twitter.com/vyoQ9gj0fc
— Andrew Greif (@AndrewGreif) January 22, 2020
“The team’s coming together,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said, via Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times. “We’ve won eight out of 10 games ... We’re not there yet, but you can feel us all getting comfortable in our skin and what we should do. It’s fun to watch them come together.”
More from Yahoo Sports:
