It seemed more like an inevitability than a possibility when news about the status of Dirk Nowitzki’s knee broke out earlier in the preseason. There was swelling in his knee, and the German hinted at the possibility of surgery if the condition did not improve.
Unfortunately, the swelling continued, forcing Nowitzki to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery on Friday. The procedure will sideline him for about six weeks. Chris Bernucca has the details of the situation.
Playing without the heart of the team for at least the first month of the season could have been a huge test for the Mavericks early in the season. Luckily for them, it appears their schedule for the first month is on the easier side: eight of their first 15 games are against teams that failed to make the playoffs last season. Two of those games are against the Bobcats, one game against the Rose-less Bulls, one game against a Love-less Timberwolves and one game against a Wall-less Wizards.
Though long removed from his dominant days, Elton Brand should more than suffice as the replacement starter until Nowitzki can return at power forward. As long as the team can stay intact without further significant injuries, it appears they should be able to weather the storm.
Moving onto other relevant news around the league from Friday: