Nowitzki's ankle treated but Friday status undecided
DALLAS (AFP) - Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki received treatment for his sore left ankle here Thursday but his status for Friday's National Basketball Association game at New York remained uncertain.
The German superstar, a strong candidate for National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player honors this year, suffered the injury during the second quarter of the Mavericks' 105-103 triumph over Milwaukee on Wednesday.
Nowitzki departed with 3:42 remaining in the first half and tried to start the third quarter but was quickly benched and did not return to the game.
A statement from the Mavericks said Nowitzki's status would be decided after Friday's game-day shootaround. While the 7-footer has a history of ankle woes, he has missed only one game this season, benched on December 31 at Denver by a sinus infection.
Nowitzki, in his ninth NBA season, has led the Mavericks to a league-best 60-11 record. He ranks 10th in the NBA in scoring with 24.9 points and 15th in rebounding at 9.3 per game.
His 47 percent accuracy rate includes 38 percent success from 3-point range.
