Dirk's Back! At Least To Practice
Will Dirk Nowitzki's return to the Mavs court be a Christmas gift? It is certainly a cause for celebration as of Wednesday afternoon, as the iconic star engaged in his first full-contact practice of the season.
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Will Dirk Nowitzki's return to the Mavs court be a Christmas gift? It is certainly a cause for celebration as of Wednesday afternoon, as the iconic star engaged in his first full-contact practice of the season.
All the Dallas Mavericks wanted for Christmas was Dirk Nowitzki back. And they may get their wish.
Dirk had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Oct. 19, the first surgery for the 7-foot German who is in his 15th NBA season.
WARNING!! Dirk sings… again
Sure he's had back-to-back 30 point nights before, back in his rookie season, the one he referred to as "the good year," he did it.
It's been more than four years since O.J. Mayo has scored 30 points in back-to-back NBA games. But he's now done it in two consecutive outings for his new Dallas Mavericks team.
Before tipoff on Tuesday, Dallas GM Donnie Nelson said that the goal "is to protect the hill until our Big German cannon is back in our arsenal." And then the Mavs beat the Lakers 99-91.
Shawn Marion scored 24 points, Eddy Curry added 11 one day after he was claimed off waivers, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Charlotte Bobcats 99-82 on Friday night in the final preseason game for both teams.
Kevin Durant scored 18 points and James Harden added 16 to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to an 88-66 preseason victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night.
One big kink in the plan is that Nowitzki won't be playing with Elton Brand, Darren Collison, Dahntay Jones, Chris Kaman and O.J. Mayo at the start of the season.
Dirk Nowitzki was at times hopeful, at times humorous and at times a bit defiant as the Dallas Mavericks icon met the media Tuesday in his first post-surgery interview.
Nowitzki has never missed more than nine games in a season during his 14-year career, but the Mavericks are likely to be more than 10 games into the season before he returns.
Rookie Mike Scott scored 17 points, Lou Williams and Ivan Johnson had 13 apiece and the Atlanta Hawks beat the depleted Dallas Mavericks 110-94 in a preseason game on Saturday night.
Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Friday morning. Nowitzki has missed the last three preseason games with right knee effusion.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said Wednesday night that he isn't concerned about Dirk Nowitzki's right knee because of the 11-time All-Star's history of dealing with injuries.
O.J. Mayo scored 10 of his 20 points during a third-quarter run, and the Mavericks beat the Rockets 123-104 on Monday night without the help of Dirk Nowitzki.
Dirk Nowitzki sat out Monday night's Mavs preseason game against the Rockets, saying "I'm doing everything I can not to have surgery." But he could just be delaying the inevitable.
Dirk Nowitzki went through a full practice with the Dallas Mavericks on Friday after having his swollen right knee drained for the second time in a month.
Chris Kaman is healthy. Roddy B may be less so. And jet lag took a few days and almost four quarters to overcome as the Mavs' game in Germany resulted in a 89-84 preseason win over Alba Berlin. Some notes from Dirk's Homecoming:
Dirk Nowitzki is calling foul on the NBA's new anti-flopping policy. "If you play me physical then, obviously, I got to sell the call and get to the line. That's just part of the game," Nowitzki said, according to the Dallas Morning News. "I think it's a bunch of crap to be honest with you.''
There are eight new players since last May, none of them named Deron Williams. Nowitzki is among only four player still around from the championship season that preceded the NBA lockout.
The post-title honeymoon was a bumpy ride for Dirk Nowitzki, whose 2011-12 season was marred by a lockout, conditioning issues, a bum right knee and a first-round playoff exit.
In a Twitter Q&A with his fans, Dirk was asked how many more seasons he plans on going. "2 for sure and then see how I feel," was Dirk's answer.
The team returns home to the American Airlines Center in Dallas for consecutive games against the Rockets on October 15 and the Suns on October 17.
Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki has married art gallery official Jessica Olsson. State District Judge Craig Smith said that he performed a July 20 wedding at the NBA player's Dallas home.
