Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki out with Achilles issue
DALLAS (AP) — Dirk Nowitzki will be out at least two more games with a right Achilles tendon injury that has contributed to the Dallas Mavericks superstar missing 11 of the first 16 games this season.
The 38-year-old Nowitzki returned from an eight-game absence because of the injury and played against the Los Angeles Clippers and Cleveland last week before sitting again at home against New Orleans on Sunday. He also missed two games early in the season with an illness.
The Mavericks (3-13) are off to their worst start since going 1-23 in 1993-94. They’ve had an eight-game losing streak, the longest since a 15-game skid in 1997-98, the season before Nowitzki arrived.
Nowitzki will miss Wednesday’s game against San Antonio and a trip to Charlotte on Thursday. Dallas then returns home to start a stretch of five games in eight days.
Rookie Dorian Finney-Smith has been starting in Nowitzki’s place.
