Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons misses fourth straight game
Chandler Parsons sat in front of his locker before Saturday’s game against Brooklyn trying to contemplate his immediate future with the Dallas Mavericks.
Parsons has missed four straight games after he landed awkwardly Feb. 20 against Houston and suffered a sprain and bone bruise to his left ankle. The exasperated four-year veteran doesn’t know if he’ll be able to play in Monday’s home game against New Orleans.
“I literally don’t know how [the ankle is] going to react,” Parsons said. “Today, I’m really pushing it and doing a lot on it. I’m going to go shoot. I did a pool workout, ran.
“Today is the most I’ve done on it, so hopefully tomorrow it’s not too sore. I’ll have a better idea tomorrow, but it’s just something you just got to take slow.”
Parsons won’t rush to return because he’s looking at the big picture — the playoffs.
“Obviously, I want to be back badly, but I also don’t want to rush back and have that keep lingering until the end of the season and into the playoffs when games really matter,” Parsons said. “I’m trying to get back as soon as possible, but at the same time I’ve got to be smart about it and I’ve got to listen to the trainers.”
Parsons’ injury was of the fluke variety. That’s why it’s difficult for him to ascertain why it’s taking so long to get healthy.
“I got a rebound and just landed funny, and it kind of just gave out,” Parsons said. “I didn’t even land on someone’s foot or anything like that.”
Parsons had been wearing a protective boot, but he recently ditched it.
“I think just being in the boot made it a little sore, but I couldn’t really put pressure on it,” Parsons said. “There’s still a bruise there, and you don’t want one of those things to linger and keep bothering me for the rest of the season.”
Paying respects
Mavs coach Rick Carlisle and guard Raymond Felton paid their respects to the family of Anthony Mason, who died Saturday at age 48.
In 1989, Carlisle was an assistant for the New Jersey Nets under head coach Bill Fitch while Mason was in his rookie season.
“I knew him quite well,” Carlisle said. “He was on our team at the end of that season — that was my first year coaching.
“The following fall we actually let him go, which was a mistake. But that period of time was an important time for him because he got a taste of it, then he had the sour taste of being let go.”
Felton also paid tribute to Mason.
“I got a phone call last night about 2 a.m. saying that he passed away,” Felton said. “Any time you know someone and spend time with them and they leave this world, it still bothers you no matter how close or whatever relationship you have with them.
“We definitely lost a guy that really made an impact in the NBA. I wish the best to his family and to all those who loved him.”
Carlisle shared those same sentiments.
“He was a competitor,” Carlisle said. “The fact that a lot of people are talking about it speaks to his competitiveness as a player and the fact that he was very well thought of as a player.”
Dwain Price, 817-390-7760
This story was originally published February 28, 2015 at 9:48 PM with the headline "Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons misses fourth straight game."