NBA Update: Carmelo Anthony to return on Thursday while Dirk Nowitzki is on day-to-day after surgery
Two franchises in the league were missing their key players this week. Denver Nuggets’ star forward Carmelo Anthony took time off from the game to mourn his sister’s loss while Dallas Mavericks’ Dirk Nowitzki has been put on day-to-day
while he recovers from a knee surgery.
Twice voted player of the week (POW) this season, Anthony missed four games these past two weeks to spend time with his family after his sister’s death. Anthony’s sister, Michelle Anthony, was in the hospital with a pre-existing
medical condition. Following her death last week, Anthony took time off during the Nuggets road trip to San Antonio last Wednesday. Since the funeral was Monday of this week, Anthony missed Nuggets’ trip to Oklahoma City to meet the Thunders last Saturday
and also Philadelphia 76ers’ visit to Denver last Sunday.
Averaging a team high of 24 points with 8.3 rebounds this season, Anthony’s absence from the team cost the franchise much since the Nuggets found themselves on a three game losing streak costing them a dip in the power rankings
for last week.
Anthony missed his fourth straight game in two weeks last night when the Nuggets hosted the Portland Trail Blazers. However, the Nuggets finally secured a win for themselves when they sent the Blazers packing with an eighteen-point
victory. Was this a onetime thing or have the Nuggets learnt to fend for themselves without Anthony in the line up. Since Anthony will be missing tonight’s trip to Minnesota to meet the Timberwolves, the answer to this question is just around the corner.
In any case, the Nuggets will not be without Anthony for long. In a statement released by the team, Anthony said that he appreciated the outpouring love and support from his Denver family during this time and that he shall be back
with them tomorrow.
While Anthony returns to the team after dealing with personal losses, Nowitzki might not see the action on the courts for some time.
Nowitzki sprained his knee during the second quarter of the Mavericks’ meeting with the Thunder. Following surgery on his knee, Nowitzki was put on a day-to-day status missing Maverick’s last night game with the Toronto Raptors.
Coach Rick Carlisle said, "We'll see how it goes. We're not sure what the timetable will be."
Averaging 24.1 points per game and the winner of the POW honour, week before last, Nowitzki’s absence from the team cost the Nuggets their seven game winning streak. Suffering an eight-point defeat last night, the Nuggets had their
winning streak snapped by the visiting Raptors. Although fans and teammates alike hope for the best, it is very likely that Nowitzki will sit out Mavericks critical meeting with the Spurs on Thursday.
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