West battling back from injuries Forward rebounds with big game
By Darnell Mayberry
Published: February 10, 2007
Hornets forward David West didn't think much of his 21 points and career-high 19 rebounds Thursday night.
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"I'm just happy that we won,” said West of the Hornets' 109-101 double overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. "For me, it's about wins and losses and just staying in this playoff hunt and trying to go into the All-Star break with some momentum.”
But West is slowly gaining momentum of his own in what has become an injury-filled season for last year's leading scorer.
Tonight's game against the Memphis Grizzlies will be the Hornets' 51st of the season. It will be only the 21st for West, who played in only seven games before an elbow injury required surgery and shut him down for the next 30.
West returned to the lineup Jan. 19 and performed like he never had been injured, recording double-doubles in each of his first three games. But West has struggled in nearly every aspect of the game since rolling his left ankle Jan. 24 in Toronto.
Before Thursday night, West, who averaged 17.1 points a year ago, had scored more than 11 points only three times since Jan. 24. He had grabbed seven rebounds or more only twice.
"That threw me off,” West said of his ankle injury. "That ankle was nagging me for about a week. I just couldn't do what I wanted to do. If you can't get any lift it just kind of trickles down.”
West made matters worse for himself by refusing to take anti-inflammatory medication to help his right elbow continue to heal. That decision, coupled with lingering effects in his ankle, further hurt his shooting touch, as evidenced by his 39.2 percent shooting since Jan. 24. West is a career 48.7 percent shooter.
"I just thought that I could (heal on my own),” West said of his decision to not take his medication. "It just didn't work. But probably the last week or so I've been back on it and it's been helping. It's keeping my elbow loose and I'm not having that aching feeling like I was before.”
So was Thursday's performance a sign of things to come? West isn't rushing to judgment.
"It's going to be an adjustment,” West said. "It'd be another thing if it was my left arm, but it's my (lead) arm so I have to do everything with this arm.
"The longer the season goes on and the more game experience I get, my timing will be there.”
Hornets coach Byron Scott said he isn't worried about West, although he rated his performance of late as just "OK.”
"I know once he gets healthier and healthier he'll play better and better,” Scott said. "But I loved the way he played (Thursday) night, just his aggressiveness on the glass.”
Even if West continues to struggle, Scott said West will play his usual minutes, between 35 and 38 each game.
"David's very intelligent out there,” Scott said. "That's one of the reasons I said I'm not worried about him because I know how intelligent he is and how smart he is when he's out there on the court.”
Guard Chris Paul said he thinks Thursday's performance will do a lot for West. But Paul also was quick to note that "David is one of those guys that's so calm and collected that a great game or a bad game really doesn't affect him.”
And West doesn't mind playing the role of decoy while his health improves.
"Teams have to respect me, and they do respect me,” West said. "I'm able to get other guys shots just by being on the floor.
"But as long as we're winning games I don't have to be that guy where I've got to take 20 shots a night. We got other guys on this team who've been playing well and are capable of scoring the basketball.”
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The Hornets' David West, right, scored 21 points and grabbed 19 rebounds during the Hornets' double-overtime win against the Bucks on Thursday. by NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
Grizzlies at Hornets
•When: 7 tonight
•Where: Ford Center
•TV: Cox 7
•Radio: KHBZ-FM 94.7
Probable starters
Hornets (23-27)
Pos.
Player
Ht.
Pts.
Reb.
Ast.
C
Tyson Chandler
7-1
7.7
11.8
0.9
F
David West
6-9
15.8
8.4
1.7
F
Desmond Mason
6-5
14.0
5.3
1.7
G
Devin Brown
6-5
12.7
5.3
3.5
G
Chris Paul
6-0
18.1
4.2
8.6
Grizzlies (12-38)
C
Pau Gasol
7-0
21.0
8.5
3.0
F
Lawrence Roberts
6-9
6.3
5.7
0.6
F
Mike Miller
6-8
18.1
5.8
4.3
G
Rudy Gay
6-9
8.8
3.7
1.0
G
Damon Stoudamire
5-10
7.6
2.4
4.7
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