Zaza Pachulia Injury: Updates on Mavericks Center's Leg and Return
Dallas Mavericks center Zaza Pachulia has been dealing with a leg injury that has kept him out of action since Jan. 24. However, he's ready to return.
Continue for updates.
Pachulia Active vs. Nets
Friday, Jan. 29
Pachulia told Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com that he will return Friday against Brooklyn.
Pachulia Enjoying Outstanding Season for Mavs
The 13-year veteran is playing with his fourth NBA team, and he is experiencing one of the best years of his career in 2015-16, averaging a double-double for the first time ever (10.4 points and 10.7 rebounds a night).
As a regular starter for the first time since 2005-06 as a member of the Atlanta Hawks, the 31-year-old was almost voted an All-Star Game starter, finishing fourth among Western Conference frontcourt players, per ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon.
Just being in the running for an All-Star selection meant so much to the once little-known center who hails from Georgia in Europe, per MacMahon:
"Oh, man, it's a great feeling. I have a bunch of smiles. It's all good vibes. I'm so thankful. I don't think there is one player who is liked by everybody. Every single person has their own flavor. They like different players or whatever. What I'm thankful is that fans, without me asking anybody, they took it to this level. I was so close. It's just an amazing feeling. I feel loved. That's more important to me than being an All-Star, honestly. It's not easy to be an All-Star, but it's even more difficult to be loved by so many people and have so many people have your back, especially a guy coming from a small country like Georgia.
"
More importantly, though, Dallas sits in the middle of the Western Conference playoff picture with Pachulia starting, making his return that much more important.
Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.
