WCF: Dallas (4) vs Phoenix (2), Mavs win 4-2

[Glenn]

Raja update:

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns...6bell0526.html

Bell could be out for at least 3 games

Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
May. 26, 2006 12:00 AM

DALLAS - Officially, Suns guard Raja Bell is doubtful for tonight's Game 2 of the Western Conference finals after partially tearing his left calf muscle in Game 1 on Wednesday.

Realistically, the feeling within the Suns is that Bell likely is out until at least Game 5 and perhaps the series. However, Bell would not rule out a quick comeback.

"I'm not saving anything so as soon as I feel I can help, I'll be ready to go, but I don't know when that will be," he said. "I don't know the word 'can't.' I don't know the word 'never.' "

Suns head athletic trainer Aaron Nelson said the first 24 to 48 hours after a calf strain are the worst, but Bell was no more sore Thursday morning than he was Wednesday night. He said the minimal amount of swelling was also a good sign.

"Strains like that, you have to be a lot more careful with because you don't want to reinjure it, aggravate it and make it worse," Nelson said. "He's got some small tearing. There's also definitely some microtrauma, which are small tears. The good thing was it didn't swell a lot, meaning if there was a large tear, it would have blown up worse."

Bell is being treated with manual therapy and a mix of modality treatments - electrical stimulation, ice and laser.

Dr. Russell Chick, a Phoenix orthopedist and former Cardinals orthopedic doctor who served the team for 17 1/2 years, said Bell's injury may take awhile to heal.

"It's not a serious injury, but it's a time injury," Chick said Thursday.

He stressed that the time missed depends heavily upon the severity of the tear, and that he had no knowledge of Bell's injury but was talking generally. He dealt with several similar injuries when he was with the Cardinals.

Offensive linemen could come back sooner. For receivers who had to cut, pivot and sprint, the time was much longer, sometimes two, three or four weeks.

"It's a much more disabling injury in a basketball player than in an offensive lineman," he said. "If it's not a real severe tear and there is not a lot of swelling, they can come back and play pretty quickly. There is going to be some time involved."

Shooting up with painkillers and playing is really not much of an option, Chick said.

"You can shoot it up, but it doesn't work so well," he said. "The muscle is so big and you have to be concerned about getting a clot. It's a difficult area to inject and then go out and play on.

"If this was the Super Bowl, if you had one shot and then could take six months off, then maybe you could go do it."

[Kstat]

Phil Jackson>Mike D'Antoni>Avery Johnson>Greg Poppovich.

[realistic]

Phil Jackson>Mike D'Antoni>Avery Johnson>Greg Poppovich.

Doesn't Pop have like 3 championships in 7 years? Kinda harsh.

[Black Dynamite]

Phil Jackson>Mike D'Antoni>Avery Johnson>Greg Poppovich.

not true. its matchups. poppovich is #1 or 2. but avery knows his playbook back and forth by heart and popovich doesnt know his. d'antoni and avery johnson are both stubborn knuckleheaded idiots IMO. If Dallas used the "slow it down" theory, i doubt d'antoni would have an answer. not the signs of a good coach IMO. but avery johnson is just as stubborn as d'antoni. so its a match made in heaven. I never felt the results of matchups determined whose better on a general scale with the teams they didnt play against.

[Black Dynamite]

D'antoni and the lsuns must be laughing with joy that dallas is continuing to try to run with them.

[Darth Thanatos]

D'Antoni isn't laughing anymore. Dallas was able to play at their own tempo and the Suns could not hang. I think it's clear that Dallas is in another league and Phoenix does not have enough to compete.

It's also clear that Dirk has been Americanized. He travels all the fucking time. It makes me think that Rip and LeOffArm never travel.

[Black Dynamite]

D'Antoni isn't laughing anymore. Dallas was able to play at their own tempo and the Suns could not hang. I think it's clear that Dallas is in another league and Phoenix does not have enough to compete.

It's also clear that Dirk has been Americanized. He travels all the fucking time. It makes me think that Rip and LeOffArm never travel.

7 game series home skillet, and dallas still had to rally. i wouldnt say this is over by any means. but kudos to dallas for one half of defense. i wonder if they'll keep together the whole game next game. either way if they can they are in business.

[Comrade]

D'Antoni isn't laughing anymore. Dallas was able to play at their own tempo and the Suns could not hang. I think it's clear that Dallas is in another league and Phoenix does not have enough to compete.

It's also clear that Dirk has been Americanized. He travels all the fucking time. It makes me think that Rip and LeOffArm never travel.

7 game series home skillet, and dallas still had to rally. i wouldnt say this is over by any means. but kudos to dallas for one half of defense. i wonder if they'll keep together the whole game next game. either way if they can they are in business.

Phoenix had to rally for the first game too. The Suns were one Josh Howard away from a 3-0 deficit.

[Darth Thanatos]

The Suns scored 88 points, shot 42 percent, and had four fast break points.

Avery Johnson rated Dallas' D a 6.5/10. YOWZA! A little hard, eh?

[Matt]

josh howard got hurt again.....not sure if it was the same ankle. regardless, this could be huge.