SALT LAKE CITY -- Injured Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki expects to play at some point in December, telling ESPN he might "be a Christmas gift" for the Mavericks.
Nowitzki, the sixth-leading scorer in NBA history, has been limited to only five games this season due to persistent soreness in his strained right Achilles tendon. He has not played since a Nov. 25 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, with the Mavs officially saying he is out indefinitely.
"The thing is, I think when I came back it was a little too early and I had a little setback," said Nowitzki, who sat out eight consecutive games before playing in losses to the Los Angeles Clippers and Cavaliers and getting shut down again.