SAN ANTONIO -- San Antonio Spurs star Tim Duncan could miss most of the remaining regular-season games after spraining his right ankle, team officials said Monday.
Duncan, the Spurs' leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker, was placed on the injured list Monday. Team officials said in a news release that Duncan is expected to miss two to four weeks after an MRI on Monday determined he had a grade 2 ankle sprain.
He crumpled to the floor in the opening minutes of San Antonio's 110-101 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Sunday after he scored inside and came down on Rasheed Wallace's foot under the basket. After the landing, Duncan's ankle turned in a gruesome fashion.
Duncan missed two games earlier this month with a sprained right ankle.
San Antonio, currently the top team in the Western Conference at 50-16, has 16 more games over the next 30 days before the playoffs start. The Spurs play Monday night in New York against the Knicks.
The Spurs clinched a playoff spot last week and are battling Miami and Phoenix for home-court advantage throughout the postseason.
Duncan, a two-time NBA MVP, went into Sunday's game averaging 21.2 points, 11.5 rebounds and nearly three blocks in 62 games.
He flew home to San Antonio on Sunday to begin treatment, while the rest of the Spurs went to New York.
The Spurs activated forward-center Sean Marks from the injured list to take Duncan's roster slot. The 7-foot Marks, a New Zealander, has averaged three points and one rebound in seven games this season.
i hope he gets back soon, i really hate seeing star players go down
The good news is that their Schedule looks a little weak
