The Dallas Mavericks came into this season with very tempered expectations yet they have started off 11-9 and that is made even more impressive by the fact that they have had key players coming back from major injuries. Wesley Matthews is coming off a torn Achilles he suffered last season and is still easing his way back into things and Chandler Parsons underwent microfracture surgery this offseason and is still playing with limits. Parsons hinted that the limits might be taken off of him in January, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas.
Parsons didn't miss much time at the beginning of the season but since he has come back he has been frustrated by not being able to play as much as he'd like. Parsons has appeared in 13 games but is only averaging 19.2 minutes in those games and right now the Mavericks' medical staff has imposed a 25 minute limit on him. Parsons though, believes he is getting closer to having that minutes limit lifted.
"I think my real season starts in January once I'm full strength and playing my normal minutes. That's when I think I'll be able to do those type of things that I was brought here to do and that everybody knows I can do," said Parsons.
Head coach Rick Carlisle doesn't think that Parsons is "anywhere close to being across the finish line" but added that he is making solid progress. Parsons has said that he has not had any pain or swelling in the knee recently and that he feels fine physically so that is a good sign, as is the fact that he has played well in the time he has been given. Since Parsons had his minutes limit increased to 25 the Mavericks have gone 5-3 and are plus 19 in the 178 minutes he has been on the floor.
The fact that the Mavericks have been able to play so well without a full impact from Parsons is a big surprise but it also bodes well for them when he does have the minutes limit taken off him. Parsons is playing good basketball right now as he is shooting 55 percent from the field and is making his team better so if the limit is taken off him in January, like he hopes, the Mavericks should start to play even better than they already have been.
