Dallas’ Nowitzki has ankle, knee sprains

Dallas Mavericks leading scorer and rebounder Dirk Nowitzki will be sidelined indefinitely after being diagnosed Monday with a moderate high ankle sprain and a mildly sprained knee.

Nowitzki, last season’s NBA most valuable player, said he hoped to be out only one or two weeks after undergoing an MRI exam the day after landing awkwardly on defense in a loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

Dallas had slipped even with Nowitzki, losing three in a row -- all at home -- and falling to 44-26, one game ahead of Golden State in seventh place in the Western Conference.

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Donnie Walsh’s career with the Indiana Pacers will end after this season, giving operation of the troubled franchise to Larry Bird, president of basketball operations.

“Now it’s one voice; it’s mine,” Bird said. “Pressure is pressure. I’ve dealt with it in the past, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Walsh, 67, the team’s chief executive and president since 1988, said he would step aside after this season, his 24th with the Pacers. He wouldn’t comment on media reports that he has talked with the New York Knicks about replacing Isiah Thomas as president.

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San Antonio re-signed guard Brent Barry, 36, a month after trading him to Seattle. The SuperSonics waived Barry on Feb. 21, a day after acquiring him. He had to sit out 30 days before he could re-sign with San Antonio. . . . Chicago’s Andres Nocioni apologized for his outburst at interim Coach Jim Boylan during a Saturday loss. After playing about three minutes in the second quarter before being replaced, Nocioni yelled at Boylan, who sent him to the locker room. . . . Milwaukee Bucks guard Charlie Bell tore a ligament in his right knee Saturday and will be sidelined at least two weeks.