mavsfan1000
11-11-2005, 01:10 PM
Nowitzki's back 'scary,' but Mavs feel relieved
Injury proves to be less severe; Johnson decides if he can go tonight
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dirk Nowitzki was walking without a hitch, shooting free throws and exercising on the giant beach ball that helps players with back problems.
And Avery Johnson was exhaling.
He may be a power forward by trade, but he's the center of the Mavericks' universe, and when Nowitzki's strained back – the first significant back trouble of his career – turned out to be less severe than first thought, everybody was relieved.
It's possible Nowitzki could play tonight against the Charlotte Bobcats. If not, he's likely to be available by Saturday in Oklahoma City against the New Orleans Hornets. Either way, it was good news Thursday.
"That's as scary as it gets," Johnson said of seeing Nowitzki hobble to the locker room during a game. "Not saying one player means more to us than another. But especially when you're dealing with a back. You see backs and knees, you get concerned."
Particularly when one of Johnson's best friends, David Robinson, fought back trouble through a large portion of his career.
"That's the first thing I thought about," he said. "Whenever somebody has a back injury, I think about David."
Fortunately for the Mavericks, the news is optimistic for Nowitzki. He had an X-ray, which showed no problem with the spine. He took a muscle relaxer and got a good night's sleep.
And at an afternoon practice at Charlotte Bobcats Arena, he was able to do enough to give him hope of playing tonight. He is officially a game-time decision. If he can't start, Keith Van Horn would.
"It feels a lot better," he said. "We'll see what happens, check it out in the morning and that night, see how it feels."
Like Johnson, Nowitzki also was relieved. He wasn't sure what to think when the injury happened late in the first half Wednesday night at Philadelphia.
"I was freaked out," he said. "I never had pain in my back before. But nothing's wrong with the spine. That was my major concern."
Johnson emphasized that he will reserve the right to hold Nowitzki out against the Bobcats.
"It's not as bad as we anticipated," he said. "But if I don't feel comfortable with the way he moves in shootaround, he won't play."
Harris to play: Devin Harris, meanwhile, got excellent news on his left ankle, which was sprained against the Sixers. He went through the entire practice and said it is "pretty close to definite" that he would play against the Bobcats.
Like Dirk Nowitzki, he will be re-evaluated at today's shootaround.
A step backward: The Mavericks were uplifted by their defensive performance against San Antonio. Then they laid the defensive egg against Philadelphia.
"It's very disappointing," Avery Johnson said. "We were so bad defensively. We probably play one of our better defensive games since I've been coaching here in the last game. Then we come back and it was constant penetration and converting. It wasn't an energy factor or because Dirk wasn't there. We just didn't compete at a high level. We're still searching for that consistency like a lot of other teams."
Briefly: When the Bobcats started the season 2-1, it was the first time in the franchise's brief history that they were above .500. They since have slipped back below with two consecutive losses. ... Keith Van Horn on the possibility of replacing Dirk Nowitzki in the starting lineup: "Hopefully, that won't be the case. But if it is, we have a talented team and we have to be able to play well no matter who's on the court."
Injury proves to be less severe; Johnson decides if he can go tonight
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dirk Nowitzki was walking without a hitch, shooting free throws and exercising on the giant beach ball that helps players with back problems.
And Avery Johnson was exhaling.
He may be a power forward by trade, but he's the center of the Mavericks' universe, and when Nowitzki's strained back – the first significant back trouble of his career – turned out to be less severe than first thought, everybody was relieved.
It's possible Nowitzki could play tonight against the Charlotte Bobcats. If not, he's likely to be available by Saturday in Oklahoma City against the New Orleans Hornets. Either way, it was good news Thursday.
"That's as scary as it gets," Johnson said of seeing Nowitzki hobble to the locker room during a game. "Not saying one player means more to us than another. But especially when you're dealing with a back. You see backs and knees, you get concerned."
Particularly when one of Johnson's best friends, David Robinson, fought back trouble through a large portion of his career.
"That's the first thing I thought about," he said. "Whenever somebody has a back injury, I think about David."
Fortunately for the Mavericks, the news is optimistic for Nowitzki. He had an X-ray, which showed no problem with the spine. He took a muscle relaxer and got a good night's sleep.
And at an afternoon practice at Charlotte Bobcats Arena, he was able to do enough to give him hope of playing tonight. He is officially a game-time decision. If he can't start, Keith Van Horn would.
"It feels a lot better," he said. "We'll see what happens, check it out in the morning and that night, see how it feels."
Like Johnson, Nowitzki also was relieved. He wasn't sure what to think when the injury happened late in the first half Wednesday night at Philadelphia.
"I was freaked out," he said. "I never had pain in my back before. But nothing's wrong with the spine. That was my major concern."
Johnson emphasized that he will reserve the right to hold Nowitzki out against the Bobcats.
"It's not as bad as we anticipated," he said. "But if I don't feel comfortable with the way he moves in shootaround, he won't play."
Harris to play: Devin Harris, meanwhile, got excellent news on his left ankle, which was sprained against the Sixers. He went through the entire practice and said it is "pretty close to definite" that he would play against the Bobcats.
Like Dirk Nowitzki, he will be re-evaluated at today's shootaround.
A step backward: The Mavericks were uplifted by their defensive performance against San Antonio. Then they laid the defensive egg against Philadelphia.
"It's very disappointing," Avery Johnson said. "We were so bad defensively. We probably play one of our better defensive games since I've been coaching here in the last game. Then we come back and it was constant penetration and converting. It wasn't an energy factor or because Dirk wasn't there. We just didn't compete at a high level. We're still searching for that consistency like a lot of other teams."
Briefly: When the Bobcats started the season 2-1, it was the first time in the franchise's brief history that they were above .500. They since have slipped back below with two consecutive losses. ... Keith Van Horn on the possibility of replacing Dirk Nowitzki in the starting lineup: "Hopefully, that won't be the case. But if it is, we have a talented team and we have to be able to play well no matter who's on the court."