here you guys go..
from fort worth paper.......
Nowitzki is listed as day-to-day after straining a tendon in his left ankle while trying to put on his shoe Saturday morning. The injury forced Nowitzki to miss Saturday night's game against the Wizards and his childhood idol, Jordan.
It also attributed mightily to the Wizards' 102-95 victory over the Mavericks (12-8), and might force Nowitzki to sit out tonight's 8 o'clock game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City against the Utah Jazz (9-11).
Nowitzki received some ice treatments and rode a stationary bicycle before boarding the team plane Sunday to Utah. Results of an MRI revealed no tears.
Nowitzki plans to do everything he can to play in the place where he upset Jazz fans during last season's playoffs by saying: "Utah is a bad city."
"I always want to play, and I can play with some pain if it makes sense," Nowitzki said. "But it just didn't make sense [to play against Washington], so we'll see if it's much better [today]."
Mavericks coach Don Nelson said he thought Nowitzki would miss at least two games. Meanwhile, a member of the Mavericks' medical staff said he thinks Nowitzki would not play tonight and that his playing status likely would be a game-time decision.
"Unless he has 100 percent improvement, he won't play," the medical staff member said. "But he's bounced back quickly from an injury before.
"But that was a weird injury. I've never seen anything like this."
Nowitzki averages team-highs of 24.3 points and 8.8 rebounds. At 7 feet, he is considered one of the top mismatches in the NBA, because of his ability to shoot the 3-point field goal, bring the ball the length of the court with either hand, post up down low, or take defenders off the dribble with either hand.
Expect more Wang?
Mavericks coach Don Nelson said backup center Wang Zhizhi earned more playing time with his performance Saturday against Washington.
Wang played 13 minutes, scored nine points and pulled down four rebounds in his first game of the season. The China native, who arrived in Dallas on Nov. 21 after competing in the Asian Games, looked comfortable on the court.
