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It's Magic as Nelson eyes return for finals
Source: Agencies |
June 3, 2009, Wednesday
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ALL-STAR point guard Jameer Nelson's injured right shoulder can take contact and he's been cleared by doctors to practice ahead of Orlando's National Basketball Association finals series against the Lakers.
Though that doesn't add up to Nelson being healthy enough to play, it does create a dilemma for the Magic's front office.
Nelson said on Monday that he has been playing full-court games, participating in contact drills and will practice with the Magic for the first time since tearing the labrum in his right shoulder on February 2 against the Dallas Mavericks.
"I'm a competitor," Nelson said. "No matter what the situation is, I always think I can go out there and get contact."
He had what was then called season-ending surgery on February 19. Nelson's rehabilitation was supposed to take at least another two months. Game 1 of the finals is on Friday (Shanghai time) in Los Angeles.
Magic General Manager Otis Smith and coach Stan Van Gundy expressed doubt on Monday whether Nelson could seriously return for the finals. Smith, who had repeatedly said Nelson will not play this season, said on Monday a quicker recovery and the chance of winning a championship has forced him to at least take a look at Nelson.
"It's still no in my mind," Smith said, adding that the team will explore the idea even if Nelson doesn't return for Game 1. "There's a smidgen of a chance he can play."
Orlando was 2-0 against the Lakers this season. Nelson was Orlando's leading scorer in both those games, averaging 27.5 points. He has been lobbying the Magic for a chance at playing since the playoffs began. With each round the team advances the idea - and the talk - of him returning has grown.
But Nelson would likely just be a shell of his All-Star form. He hasn't played in four months, and even he admits it will be difficult to convince the training staff and coaches that he isn't risking future damage.
"A miracle has to happen," Nelson said.
The Magic had the best record in the NBA in January behind Nelson, who averaged 16.7 points, 5.4 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 42 games.
But their title hopes took a major hit after he was injured. A trade-deadline deal that brought Rafer Alston from Houston largely saved the Magic's season, allowing the rotation to remain the same and Anthony Johnson to continue to provide solid play as Alston's backup.
The formula was enough to win only the franchise's second Eastern Conference championship, knocking off the defending champions Boston Celtics and eliminating MVP LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Van Gundy said disrupting that chemistry would be a concern.
"You always worry about that," Van Gundy said. "But that's just the decision that I'll have to make after a couple of days and he's practicing."
Though that doesn't add up to Nelson being healthy enough to play, it does create a dilemma for the Magic's front office.
Nelson said on Monday that he has been playing full-court games, participating in contact drills and will practice with the Magic for the first time since tearing the labrum in his right shoulder on February 2 against the Dallas Mavericks.
"I'm a competitor," Nelson said. "No matter what the situation is, I always think I can go out there and get contact."
He had what was then called season-ending surgery on February 19. Nelson's rehabilitation was supposed to take at least another two months. Game 1 of the finals is on Friday (Shanghai time) in Los Angeles.
Magic General Manager Otis Smith and coach Stan Van Gundy expressed doubt on Monday whether Nelson could seriously return for the finals. Smith, who had repeatedly said Nelson will not play this season, said on Monday a quicker recovery and the chance of winning a championship has forced him to at least take a look at Nelson.
"It's still no in my mind," Smith said, adding that the team will explore the idea even if Nelson doesn't return for Game 1. "There's a smidgen of a chance he can play."
Orlando was 2-0 against the Lakers this season. Nelson was Orlando's leading scorer in both those games, averaging 27.5 points. He has been lobbying the Magic for a chance at playing since the playoffs began. With each round the team advances the idea - and the talk - of him returning has grown.
But Nelson would likely just be a shell of his All-Star form. He hasn't played in four months, and even he admits it will be difficult to convince the training staff and coaches that he isn't risking future damage.
"A miracle has to happen," Nelson said.
The Magic had the best record in the NBA in January behind Nelson, who averaged 16.7 points, 5.4 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 42 games.
But their title hopes took a major hit after he was injured. A trade-deadline deal that brought Rafer Alston from Houston largely saved the Magic's season, allowing the rotation to remain the same and Anthony Johnson to continue to provide solid play as Alston's backup.
The formula was enough to win only the franchise's second Eastern Conference championship, knocking off the defending champions Boston Celtics and eliminating MVP LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Van Gundy said disrupting that chemistry would be a concern.
"You always worry about that," Van Gundy said. "But that's just the decision that I'll have to make after a couple of days and he's practicing."
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