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Schmitz: Jameer Nelson Could Be Back Next Wednesday

Via Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel:

 

Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said Thursday that the earliest PG Jameer Nelson could play would be next Wednesday against the Houston Rockets and likely practice on Sunday.

 

Nelson hasn't played since undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Nov. 18.

 

Van Gundy said, "It just depends on how he looks. We'll have to see if he's up to speed," Van Gundy said. "He's got to go through a practice."

 

It's a testament to the Orlando Magic's depth that Jameer Nelson has rarely been mentioned during his absence, given that the team has gone 11-4 since he's been out. But it's clear, especially after last night's forgettable loss to the Miami Heat, that the Magic could use him back in the starting lineup.

 

All the credit in the world should be given to Jason Williams - ranked 6th in Pure Point Rating - and Anthony Johnson for holding down the fort while Nelson has been rehabbing his injury. Neither player is of Jameer's caliber but both came to play nearly every night for Orlando. Yes, there have been games where Williams just didn't have it for the evening but in almost each of those instances, Johnson gave the Magic much-needed production at point guard. 

 

With Nelson set to return next week, Orlando will finally have a chance to play with a fully healthy roster for what many hope will be an extended period of time. Although Jameer hasn't been playing at the All-Star level he was performing at this past season, he is still the best point guard the Magic have. Likewise, head coach Stan Van Gundy knows that he has two reliable back-ups in Jason and Anthony. Unlike last year, Van Gundy will have the rare opportunity to play the matchups with his reserve point guards depending on the opponents. Or Stan has a chance to go with a different point guard when Williams or Johnson (or Nelson, too) isn't playing up to par. Options. It's something Van Gundy has in droves not only with his point guards but with every other position on the squad. 

 

It'll be interesting to see if the Orlando Magic raises the level of its play a notch when Jameer gets back. It'll also be interesting to see if Nelson improves on his defense, which has been below-average this year.

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Yay! J-Will has been great, but… looking forward to Jameer’s return.

by Vic De Zen on Dec 18, 2009 4:47 PM EST reply actions  

This seems early

I would rather give him the full recovery time, just to be 100% sure. As the saying goes around here, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.” JWill and AJ will be fine for a couple more weeks.

by bandrewg08 on Dec 18, 2009 4:53 PM EST reply actions  

Well, it'll be about 6 weeks if Jameer Nelson comes back next Wednesday.

He’s had the full recovery time.

I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.

"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat

by erivera7 on Dec 18, 2009 5:59 PM EST up reply actions  

Wow, I guess I thought it was longer for some reason

(TWSS)

But anyways, it always seems like we rush him back i.e. the Finals. Then again, that was a different injury. Well if they say he’s good to go, then I guess.

by bandrewg08 on Dec 19, 2009 12:56 AM EST up reply actions  

And a different situation. It was the NBA Finals.

I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.

"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat

by erivera7 on Dec 19, 2009 3:10 AM EST up reply actions  

Why?

He has good conditioning, which is clear from looking at his body and also his recovery times. He’s not frail. He’s had bad luck with different injuries over the course of the years. Concussion, hip pointer, torn labrum, and now torn meniscus. He’s not Greg Oden

by slickw143 on Dec 19, 2009 1:54 AM EST up reply actions  

Jameer has had some freak injuries.

I wouldn’t call him injury-proned just yet. I’d wait.

I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.

"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat

by erivera7 on Dec 19, 2009 3:10 AM EST up reply actions  

so far in his career he has been. just a fact. and most of his career he's been bad at defense.

So what are you supposed to count on? That he shoots 60% overall?

If the Magic are going to win a championship, they will have to beat pgs Mo Williams, Rondo, and Fisher. Jason Williams and A.J. are just as capable of holding their own against those guys as Jameer is by himself. And they’re more capable of being healthy – based on their careers. So anything Jameer gives you is a bonus.

It’s pretty obvious Dwight, Vince and Rashard will have to win things. The problem is it will be tough for those guys to beat each of their respective matchups against the Lakers. The position they can exploit is Fisher but they probably need someone like Jameer from a year ago. and that’s a distant memory at this point.

by CaliFlorida on Dec 19, 2009 3:37 AM EST up reply actions  

It's not a distant memory, not when it's December.

I think you’re being overly pessimistic with Nelson. It’s a long season.

I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.

"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat

by erivera7 on Dec 19, 2009 4:37 AM EST up reply actions  

actually with the Lakers i think you forgot about the reg. season last year

The matchup the was exploited was meer and fisher but meer was on the winning edge scoring about 28pts a game running the pnr perfectly

by Vanek on Dec 19, 2009 6:42 AM EST up reply actions  

Jason Williams is more capable of being healthy.

The guy who was out almost the whole year the last time he actually suited up for an NBA team prior to this year. Injuries happen, that shoulder injury last year was very flukey. It’s like saying Kobe’s injury prone because he keeps hurting his fingers from various collisions. He’s just been lucky that he’s a.) only had his fingers injured and not something bigger and b.) good enough to play left-handed when necessary.

If Dwight catches him with another elbow or if he goes up for a layup only to get pummelled by some dude and falls hard on his tailbone or something that can happen to anyone at anytime on the court, does that make you injury-prone or unlucky?

by slickw143 on Dec 19, 2009 10:19 AM EST up reply actions  

Kobe's been very durable.

But he’s also very lucky. The worst thing that’s happened to him have been jammed fingers. He hasn’t caught an elbow from Dwight or had someone roll into his knee like his teammate Bynum. Nelson has had various injuries and some of them in flukey ways, but that happens. He’s simply been unlucky, stop trying to bring the guy down for something out of his control.

by slickw143 on Dec 19, 2009 2:57 PM EST up reply actions  

Part of that is the way Nelson plays, though.

Bryant isn’t as reckless, hence why he rarely gets injured (and if he does, it’s minor).

I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.

"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat

by erivera7 on Dec 19, 2009 3:40 PM EST up reply actions  

Do we really want to change how he plays?

He would not be the same player if he all of a sudden became someone who didn’t push hard and dive for loose balls and take it to the whole and absorb contact while still finishing. He probably wouldn’t be in the NBA today if he wasn’t as tough as he is.

by slickw143 on Dec 19, 2009 3:57 PM EST up reply actions  

I never said anything about changing the way he plays.

I’m just pointing out that part of the reason why Nelson suffers freak injuries is because of his style of play. That’s an indisputable fact with Jameer.

I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.

"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat

by erivera7 on Dec 19, 2009 4:11 PM EST up reply actions  

Yeah.

I’ll take the risk though. Hopefully he’s already gotten his freak injury for the year out of the way and the team can actually get some continuity moving forward.

by slickw143 on Dec 19, 2009 4:35 PM EST up reply actions  

Let's hope.

I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.

"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat

by erivera7 on Dec 19, 2009 5:30 PM EST up reply actions  

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