Denton's Notes: Nelson Ready to Return
By John Denton
December 14, 2009
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Magic and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.
ORLANDO – A week after having surgery to repair torn meniscus in his left knee, Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson was back on the basketball floor shooting. Two weeks in, Nelson was running full-go drills. And in Week 3 of the rehabilitation, Nelson was simulating game-like situations.
So it should come as no surprise now that Nelson is pushing Magic management to get back on the floor and play again.
Nelson had arthroscopic surgery on Nov. 18 and was projected to miss four to six weeks. Wednesday was the 13th game that Nelson has missed and Wednesday will be the four-week mark since the surgery. Nelson said that he hopes to practice on Sunday and play on Monday when the Magic host the Utah Jazz and star point guard Deron Williams.
``I want to play tonight, but it’s not up to me,’’ Nelson said Monday morning. ``I could play right now. I mean, I don’t know if my wind is where it should be, but physically my knee is fine.
``I have to wait for the medical staff, coach (Stan Van Gundy) and (general manager) Otis (Smith) give me the OK,’’ Nelson continued. ``They’re not going to put me out there unless they see me at practice. So I guess I have to wait until I practice.’’
Nelson stayed in Orlando during the Magic’s recent roadtrip so that he could focus entirely on his rehabilitation. Nelson said he spent roughly four hours a day doing on-court, weight room and therapeutic drills while the team was away in hopes of rejoining the squad this week.
Nelson said going through the rehabilitation following surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder last spring helped him deal mentally with his recovery. Nelson said being away from the team bothered him, but being away from them during losses to Utah and Phoenix (when Williams and Steve Nash battered the Magic) particularly hurt him.
``When you see the team lose you think, `Ahhhh, I could have helped the team here or there.’ But overall I think the guys have done a good job,’’ Nelson said. ``I look at it as a positive that I was able to spend a lot of time with my family. And I was able to get myself healthier here than I would have able to on the road. I had all the time in the world here to do all that I needed to do with no distractions.’’
TUGGING SUPERMAN’S CAPE: The Phoenix Suns limited Dwight Howard to one field goal attempt last Friday by constantly double-teaming him and fouling him 12 different times.
Magic coach Stan Van Gundy had no problem with that strategy, saying that it was on Howard to make free throws to stop the incessant fouling. But he was bothered by the manner with which the Los Angeles Clippers fouled Howard last Wednesday, hitting him high several times and knocking him to the floor.
Then, a similar scenario unfolded Monday night when Howard was grabbed around the neck by Indiana’s Troy Murphy. Howard reacted angrily, pushing back at Murphy and both players were whistled for technical fouls.
Van Gundy believes that Howard is refereed differently as a big man than some of the NBA’s marquee wing players. He feels opponents are allowed to take unnecessary whacks at Howard because he’s bigger at 6-foot-11 and 275 pounds.
``Nobody enjoys being hit like that but he’s continued to play through all of that stuff. The other night I thought they were just fouling. I was upset in the Clipper game where I thought they were really taking some shots and I thought there should have been a flagrant fouls called,’’ Van Gundy said. ``I thought they let them do to these big guys what they would never let the big guys do to a guard. I think it’s unfortunate.
``I guess if you’re Dwight’s size, you’re incapable of feeling pain so they let guys just wail on ‘em up around the head and shoulders,’’ Van Gundy continued.
Howard admitted that it was difficult for him to keep his cool against the Clippers, but he kept telling himself that the Magic needed him to stay composed and in the game for them to win.
``I just understand that my teammates need me and if I react to a hard foul or them doing something to get my agitated, then I’m getting out of my game,’’ he said. ``I just try to look at the big picture. Sometimes it is tough, especially when some of those really hurt. But I just have to keep my composure and understand what they are trying to do to me.’’
ETC: Magic star guard Vince Carter didn’t practice Sunday or Monday morning and visited a doctor for a stomach ailment, but played Monday night with little restriction. Carter also showed no problems with a hip and knee injury that kept him out of the most of the second half of Friday’s loss in Phoenix. … J.J. Redick actually sprained his ankle twice in the Phoenix game, but he played through the injury because Carter was unable to go. Redick had the ankle re-taped during Friday’s game and said the injury wouldn’t limit him. ``I’m a little sore, but -- knock on wood – I’ve never really had a bad ankle sprain,’’ Redick said. ``I just rolled it twice. The first time I rolled it in the second half I looked over at our bench and I realized that Vince was back in the locker room, so I played through it. I rolled it again and just played through it after I got it taped up.’’ … Ryan Anderson, Brand Bass and Carter will appear as the Florida Hospital for Children today at 3:30 to hand out goodie bags, sign autographs and take pictures with pediatric patients at the hospital.
John Denton writes for Orlandomagic.com. His Orlando Magic ``Behind the Scenes’’ segment can be heard on ESPN 1080 AM on Thursday at 5:05 p.m. Submit questions to John for his ``Ask J.D.’’ mailbag feature that will appear every Friday at AskJD@orlandomagic.com.
By John DentonDecember 14, 2009
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Magic and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.
ORLANDO – A week after having surgery to repair torn meniscus in his left knee, Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson was back on the basketball floor shooting. Two weeks in, Nelson was running full-go drills. And in Week 3 of the rehabilitation, Nelson was simulating game-like situations.
So it should come as no surprise now that Nelson is pushing Magic management to get back on the floor and play again.
Nelson had arthroscopic surgery on Nov. 18 and was projected to miss four to six weeks. Wednesday was the 13th game that Nelson has missed and Wednesday will be the four-week mark since the surgery. Nelson said that he hopes to practice on Sunday and play on Monday when the Magic host the Utah Jazz and star point guard Deron Williams.
``I want to play tonight, but it’s not up to me,’’ Nelson said Monday morning. ``I could play right now. I mean, I don’t know if my wind is where it should be, but physically my knee is fine.
``I have to wait for the medical staff, coach (Stan Van Gundy) and (general manager) Otis (Smith) give me the OK,’’ Nelson continued. ``They’re not going to put me out there unless they see me at practice. So I guess I have to wait until I practice.’’
Nelson stayed in Orlando during the Magic’s recent roadtrip so that he could focus entirely on his rehabilitation. Nelson said he spent roughly four hours a day doing on-court, weight room and therapeutic drills while the team was away in hopes of rejoining the squad this week.
Nelson said going through the rehabilitation following surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder last spring helped him deal mentally with his recovery. Nelson said being away from the team bothered him, but being away from them during losses to Utah and Phoenix (when Williams and Steve Nash battered the Magic) particularly hurt him.
``When you see the team lose you think, `Ahhhh, I could have helped the team here or there.’ But overall I think the guys have done a good job,’’ Nelson said. ``I look at it as a positive that I was able to spend a lot of time with my family. And I was able to get myself healthier here than I would have able to on the road. I had all the time in the world here to do all that I needed to do with no distractions.’’
TUGGING SUPERMAN’S CAPE: The Phoenix Suns limited Dwight Howard to one field goal attempt last Friday by constantly double-teaming him and fouling him 12 different times.
Magic coach Stan Van Gundy had no problem with that strategy, saying that it was on Howard to make free throws to stop the incessant fouling. But he was bothered by the manner with which the Los Angeles Clippers fouled Howard last Wednesday, hitting him high several times and knocking him to the floor.
Then, a similar scenario unfolded Monday night when Howard was grabbed around the neck by Indiana’s Troy Murphy. Howard reacted angrily, pushing back at Murphy and both players were whistled for technical fouls.
Van Gundy believes that Howard is refereed differently as a big man than some of the NBA’s marquee wing players. He feels opponents are allowed to take unnecessary whacks at Howard because he’s bigger at 6-foot-11 and 275 pounds.
``Nobody enjoys being hit like that but he’s continued to play through all of that stuff. The other night I thought they were just fouling. I was upset in the Clipper game where I thought they were really taking some shots and I thought there should have been a flagrant fouls called,’’ Van Gundy said. ``I thought they let them do to these big guys what they would never let the big guys do to a guard. I think it’s unfortunate.
``I guess if you’re Dwight’s size, you’re incapable of feeling pain so they let guys just wail on ‘em up around the head and shoulders,’’ Van Gundy continued.
Howard admitted that it was difficult for him to keep his cool against the Clippers, but he kept telling himself that the Magic needed him to stay composed and in the game for them to win.
``I just understand that my teammates need me and if I react to a hard foul or them doing something to get my agitated, then I’m getting out of my game,’’ he said. ``I just try to look at the big picture. Sometimes it is tough, especially when some of those really hurt. But I just have to keep my composure and understand what they are trying to do to me.’’
ETC: Magic star guard Vince Carter didn’t practice Sunday or Monday morning and visited a doctor for a stomach ailment, but played Monday night with little restriction. Carter also showed no problems with a hip and knee injury that kept him out of the most of the second half of Friday’s loss in Phoenix. … J.J. Redick actually sprained his ankle twice in the Phoenix game, but he played through the injury because Carter was unable to go. Redick had the ankle re-taped during Friday’s game and said the injury wouldn’t limit him. ``I’m a little sore, but -- knock on wood – I’ve never really had a bad ankle sprain,’’ Redick said. ``I just rolled it twice. The first time I rolled it in the second half I looked over at our bench and I realized that Vince was back in the locker room, so I played through it. I rolled it again and just played through it after I got it taped up.’’ … Ryan Anderson, Brand Bass and Carter will appear as the Florida Hospital for Children today at 3:30 to hand out goodie bags, sign autographs and take pictures with pediatric patients at the hospital.
John Denton writes for Orlandomagic.com. His Orlando Magic ``Behind the Scenes’’ segment can be heard on ESPN 1080 AM on Thursday at 5:05 p.m. Submit questions to John for his ``Ask J.D.’’ mailbag feature that will appear every Friday at AskJD@orlandomagic.com.
