Dirk Nowitzki resumes running and shooting; Timetable for comeback still uncertain – NBA Update
After a decent start to the season, Dallas Mavericks have been struggling to muster wins consistently and the major reason for that is the absence of their star player and leader Dirk Nowitzki.
The German sharp shooter underwent an arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Oct. 19, but has struggled to make a quick recovery. With him on the sidelines, the Mavs have conceded a number of close games, and are at present
8-10, the 11th side in the Western Conference.
The surgery which Nowitzki had normally demands a recuperation period of 3 to 6 weeks and according to initial estimates, the power forward was supposed to return till Dec 15. But as we approach the date, the only good news is
that the player has started running and has also done some shooting drills.
In a courtside interview during the recent Mavericks- Clippers game, Nowitzki confirmed his progress to ESPN;
"The swelling is gone, so now I think we can push it more and more from week to week," Nowitzki said. "I did a lot of cardio last week. Now, I'm actually trying to run the court, get some shots up. Maybe next week, start running
more, start cutting and reintroduce more week by week. Hopefully, in a couple of weeks, I'll get back out there."
The forward, who has never missed more than nine consecutive games in a career that spans over 14 years, however was insistent that he will take the maximum time to recover completely, and is not willing to take any risks as far
as the recurrence of the injury is concerned;
"We'll just have to play it week by week," Nowitzki said. "I'm looking forward to being out there. This is the longest I've ever been out. Watching is not my favourite thing to do. Hopefully, I'll be out there soon."
The 11 times All-Star is only one of the two players, the other being Shawn Marion, who are the survivors of the championship winning side of 2011. In the twilight of his career, big Dirk is still one of the best, and his return
could pretty much mean a playoffs qualification for the Mavs.
Tags: