Collins may need knee surgery
Thursday, December 8, 2005

By AL IANNAZZONE
STAFF WRITER


CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Jason Collins didn't want to talk about it, but admitted he may need surgery on his troublesome right knee.

That would be the worst-case scenario for the Nets' starting power forward, who missed Wednesday's game and may not play this week after his surgically repaired knee acted up again.

"I don't want to go there," Collins said of undergoing surgery. "Not yet.

"I don't think it would be season-ending. But it would be a lot longer than I'd like."

Collins has inflammation in his right peroneal nerve. Two weeks ago, he received three needles to the area in Stanford that brought some relief. But he reaggravated the knee going up for a rebound Saturday against Toronto. A different doctor saw Collins on Monday and injected him with different medication. He was told to test the knee in about a week.

"We're trying something a little bit different," Collins said. "We just have to hope for the best.

"[We] definitely have to make sure all the symptoms, all the soreness, all the pain, all the stiffness is out before I start back playing again."

The normally durable Collins, who has played with injuries his whole career, missed his fifth game already. The Nets' search for a big man may intensify now, but president Rod Thorn said nothing is imminent.

"If you look for a big guy, they're hard to find," Thorn said. "Most of them are employed."

Thorn said things should open up around the league on Dec. 15. That's when teams can deal players signed in the off-season, such as Melvin Ely, Dan Gadzuric or Chris Wilcox.

But the hope is that Collins won't miss more than the three games the Nets have this week. Collins isn't ruling out Saturday against the Sixers. But that may be unrealistic.

Collins said that if he has surgery, it would be "to trace the path of the nerve, see if there's any scar tissue where the injury is." When asked to elaborate, he said, "I haven't found out all the details yet. I'm trying to hold that off."

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