Mavs' Ceballos Out For Season

Two broken wrists will sideline Dallas Mavericks small forward Cedric Ceballos for the remainder of the season rather than the six to eight weeks anticipated.

Screws were inserted Monday evening to repair the fractures.

The 6-foot-8 Ceballos was hurt Thursday in a 90-81 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Loren Meyer tossed Ceballos to the floor with both hands as the Maverick tried a layup in the final minute of the first quarter. Ceballos finished the game despite the injury, and managed to score 20 points and 13 rebounds.

The next day, the Mavericks placed Ceballos, an eight-year NBA veteran, on the injured list.

A more detailed exam over the weekend revealed the extent of the injury, and Ceballos had surgery at Baylor Hospital in Dallas.

Meyer, once a Mavericks first-round pick and a former teammate of Ceballos at Phoenix, was assessed a flagrant foul and later fined $5,000 and suspended for one game.

Monday, Meyer spoke publicly about the incident for the first time, saying the incident wasn't intentional.

"I don't think it was as bad as how it looked or whatever punishment I got out of the deal. I don't think it was that bad. Me and Ced always joked around in Phoenix. We were pretty good buddies, so it wasn't anything personal or nothing like that," Meyer said.

"When he got up, I said, `I'm sorry, Ced, I went for the ball.' If you look at it, I kind of swiped at (the ball) with my left hand, but my body got him, too."

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