DALLAS — An MRI performed Friday revealed that Shawn Marion has a strained left calf.
The injury will keep the Dallas Mavericks’ small forward on the sidelines indefinitely. And it’s much more serious than the left calf contusion the Mavericks thought Marion had when he suffered the injury March 6 against the Houston Rockets.“It’s getting better, but being a strain instead of a contusion, those take longer, so it’s going to be a whole lot longer [recovery period],” coach Rick Carlisle said. “We hope not too long, but we’re going to exercise caution, and we’re going to make sure he’s right before he gets back.”Marion missed all four games on the Mavs’ recent road trip. Dallas won the first three games on the trip against Detroit, Minnesota and Milwaukee but lost Thursday night in San Antonio 92-91.“It hurt us, especially against the Spurs,” owner Mark Cuban said of Marion’s absence. “You always want that guy who knows how to play and can guard the other team’s best forward or best [shooting guard], and just is a competitor.“He’s seems to be moving around, so we’re hopeful for good things and he’ll be back.”Marion averages 11.7 points, and his loss also affects the Mavericks on the boards, because he’s the team’s leading rebounder at 7.9 per game.“The rebounding is an area that’s affected us,” Carlisle said. “We can do it, but there’s got to be a concentrated effort, there’s got to be vigilance about it.“With Shawn out it heightens everybody else’s responsibilities.”No issuesMark Cuban had no issues with Chris Kaman questioning his lack of playing time after the center played only 2:14 during Tuesday’s game at Milwaukee.“Chris is Chris,” Cuban said. “The only thing about Chris is he may be a little bit crazy, but his heart is always in the right place.“The dude wants to play hard, the guy wants to win, he wants to contribute, and he wants to play. I have no problem with Chris and I don’t even have a problem with him being upset about not getting the minutes.”Rick Carlisle said it was his mistake playing Kaman at all against Milwaukee, because of the speed and quickness of the Bucks’ big men.“He’s going to make his decisions,” Kaman said of Carlisle. “That’s why they’re paying him the big bucks to be in charge of the Mavericks, and that’s his decision.”Dialed inWith Dirk Nowitzki collecting four double-doubles in a 10-game span going into Friday’s game against Cleveland, Mark Cuban believes his superstar is on a personal mission.“Dirk is dialed in,” Cuban said. “Dirk wants to see where we can take it and prove that he can carry a team.“What we’re seeing now with Dirk is what we can expect next year and the year after if he stays healthy.”Dwain Price, 817-390-7760 Twitter: @dwainprice
