Still Dallas stars? Nowitzki expects Mavs to lead West
Dallas, TX, United States (AHN Sports) – Nowitzki, who finally received his championship ring this week, said the Mavs remain the team to beat in the season that saw the Oklahoma Thunder and several up-and-coming teams asserting their might in the West.
“I haven’t seen one team in the West that I’m scared of,” Nowitzki told ESPN Friday. “I really haven’t. I think we can compete with all of them. Oklahoma City (15-3) has probably the best record, but I think we’ve played them well every time we’ve seen them and everybody else has been up and down.”
The 33-year-old Nowitzki has been sidelined in the past four games to undergo personal training camp and heal his sore right knee. He’s also expected to sit out Friday night’s game against the Utah Jazz.
The former NBA MVP said the rushed training camp coming into the season put him in an uncomfortable situation, making him more prone to fatigue and injury.
“His knee hurts because he didn’t have the time to prepare,” Mavs owner Mark Cuban told ESPN Friday. “When you don’t have the time to prepare, you’re not conditioned to play the way you’re accustomed to.
Nowitzki is averaging 17.5 points and 5.4 boards in 16 games this season. The Mavs (11-8) are locked in a three-way tie with the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers for the sixth spot in the Western Conference.
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