Nowitzki's back 'scary,' but Mavs feel relieved

[kriD]

Nowitzki's back 'scary,' but Mavs feel relieved

Injury proves to be less severe; Johnson decides if he can go tonight

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dirk Nowitzki was walking without a hitch, shooting free throws and exercising on the giant beach ball that helps players with back problems.

And Avery Johnson was exhaling.

He may be a power forward by trade, but he's the center of the Mavericks' universe, and when Nowitzki's strained back – the first significant back trouble of his career – turned out to be less severe than first thought, everybody was relieved.

It's possible Nowitzki could play tonight against the Charlotte Bobcats. If not, he's likely to be available by Saturday in Oklahoma City against the New Orleans Hornets. Either way, it was good news Thursday.

"That's as scary as it gets," Johnson said of seeing Nowitzki hobble to the locker room during a game. "Not saying one player means more to us than another. But especially when you're dealing with a back. You see backs and knees, you get concerned."

Particularly when one of Johnson's best friends, David Robinson, fought back trouble through a large portion of his career.

"That's the first thing I thought about," he said. "Whenever somebody has a back injury, I think about David."

Fortunately for the Mavericks, the news is optimistic for Nowitzki. He had an X-ray, which showed no problem with the spine. He took a muscle relaxer and got a good night's sleep.

And at an afternoon practice at Charlotte Bobcats Arena, he was able to do enough to give him hope of playing tonight. He is officially a game-time decision. If he can't start, Keith Van Horn would.

"It feels a lot better," he said. "We'll see what happens, check it out in the morning and that night, see how it feels."

Like Johnson, Nowitzki also was relieved. He wasn't sure what to think when the injury happened late in the first half Wednesday night at Philadelphia.

"I was freaked out," he said. "I never had pain in my back before. But nothing's wrong with the spine. That was my major concern."

Johnson emphasized that he will reserve the right to hold Nowitzki out against the Bobcats.

"It's not as bad as we anticipated," he said. "But if I don't feel comfortable with the way he moves in shootaround, he won't play."

Harris to play: Devin Harris, meanwhile, got excellent news on his left ankle, which was sprained against the Sixers. He went through the entire practice and said it is "pretty close to definite" that he would play against the Bobcats.

Like Dirk Nowitzki, he will be re-evaluated at today's shootaround.

A step backward: The Mavericks were uplifted by their defensive performance against San Antonio. Then they laid the defensive egg against Philadelphia.

"It's very disappointing," Avery Johnson said. "We were so bad defensively. We probably play one of our better defensive games since I've been coaching here in the last game. Then we come back and it was constant penetration and converting. It wasn't an energy factor or because Dirk wasn't there. We just didn't compete at a high level. We're still searching for that consistency like a lot of other teams."

Briefly: When the Bobcats started the season 2-1, it was the first time in the franchise's brief history that they were above .500. They since have slipped back below with two consecutive losses. ... Keith Van Horn on the possibility of replacing Dirk Nowitzki in the starting lineup: "Hopefully, that won't be the case. But if it is, we have a talented team and we have to be able to play well no matter who's on the court."

[kriD]

Mavericks NOTES

Dirk might miss game

By ART GARCIA
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Dirk Nowitzki reported that his ailing lower back was improving Thursday, but he didn't practice and is questionable tonight against the Charlotte Bobcats.

Nowitzki did shooting drills, stretched extensively and was drenched in sweat by the end of the two-hour practice at Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

"I feel a lot better," said Nowitzki, who pulled up lame late in the first half of Wednesday's 112-97 loss at Philadelphia. "We'll see how it feels in the morning."

Mavs coach Avery Johnson said he will take a cautious approach.

"If I don't feel comfortable with the way he moves at shootaround [today], he won't play," Johnson said.

Devin Harris sprained his left ankle in the loss but practiced Thursday. Johnson said whether the backup point guard plays will be a game-time decision, but Harris expects to play.

Nowitzki had X-rays Wednesday that revealed no structural damage. He took a muscle relaxant at night to help sleep.

Back troubles are new for Nowitzki, who has dealt mostly with ankle injuries in his career. He said he was shocked when the back first tightened up after he scored on a baseline drive.

"I was freaked out," he said. "I never had a pain like that in my back before."

Nowitzki wasn't nearly as freaked out as Johnson at the sight of his best player walking gingerly off the court holding his back.

"That's as scary as it gets," Johnson said. "Not saying that one player means more to us than the other, but ..."

Johnson immediately thought back to former San Antonio teammate David Robinson, who was hobbled by back problems late in his career.

"Backs can be really tricky," Johnson said.

If Nowitzki isn't able to play tonight, Keith Van Horn would start. Van Horn is averaging 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game and is used in the offense much like Nowitzki.

"Keith being in the system more than anything helps," Johnson said, "and we don't have to make drastic changes."

Full-court panic?

It's not as if the Mavs weren't prepared for Philadelphia's momentum-changing full-court press in the third quarter.

"We practice against it," Avery Johnson said. "We just didn't execute, and that was my fault."

One reason for lack of execution might have been the surprise factor.

"They threw it out there unexpectedly," Devin Harris said. "We didn't have a chance to set up and get guys in the right spots. We kind of got confused."

Johnson was more disappointed with the team's overall defensive execution, citing a lack of consistency from game to game.

The 76ers shot 52 percent for the game, 66 percent in the second half.

"We were so bad defensively," Johnson said.

Briefly

Avery Johnson advised rookie Rawle Marshall to be ready if Dirk Nowitzki or Devin Harris can't play tonight. Marshall has been inactive for the first four games.

Jerry Stackhouse (North Carolina), Josh Howard (Wake Forest) and Darrell Armstrong (Fayetteville State) played basketball in the Tar Heel State. Howard bought 50 tickets for family and friends.

[Murphy3]

Like a wise person once recently said on this board... as Jason Terry goes, so go the Mavs...

[EricaLubarsky]

wasnt that you, Murph? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[sike]

He may be a power forward by trade, but he's the center of the Mavericks' universe

Rock ME!

[Murphy3]

Originally posted by: EricaLubarsky
wasnt that you, Murph? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

Erica, I never would have said something like that...That statement was made after two games.

[DeusDeOmini]

"That's as scary as it gets," Johnson said of seeing Nowitzki hobble to the locker room during a game. "Not saying one player means more to us than another. But especially when you're dealing with a back. You see backs and knees, you get concerned."

Lol, one player doesn't mean more then another, lets not sugercoat things.

[chumdawg]

Originally posted by: Murphy3

Erica, I never would have said something like that...That statement was made after two games.

Whoever said that has obviously been watching the Mavs closely since late last year when Avery took over--through their abbreviated playoff run, over the course of the offseason, into training camp and now the regular season.

Of course, whoever said also no doubt assumed that Nowitzki would give the team his usual, night in and out. In other words, Nowitzki is not a wild variable. Terry, on the other hand, seems to be. And inasmuch as the offense and defense both rely in large part on his contributions, it does seem reasonable that the Mavs' fortunes will rise and fall along with his.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Chum, I think you're well aware that you're the one who said that. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]