Wesley Matthews is on a mission to prove everyone wrong. Only seven and a half months after tearing his Achilles, Matthews is ready to get back on the basketball court.
Wesley Matthews (left Achilles) says he will play tonight vs. Chicago. #DALatCHI
— Earl K. Sneed (@EarlKSneed) October 23, 2015
This is quite a surprise to say the least. A torn Achilles tendon is a notoriously difficult injury to come back from, yet Matthews – who has earned the nickname of “Iron Man” due to his run of good health before this injury – apparently already feels comfortable testing it in game action. While Matthews had previously made it clear that his goal was to return by opening night, it is nevertheless a shock that he will be able to accomplish it.
How Matthews will perform after this injury is a whole new question, entirely. There is bound to be plenty of rust and early struggles and a return to pre-injury form will be very difficult to achieve. Additionally, the Mavericks seem to have dropped off quite a bit from last season after a fairly tumultuous offseason that saw them lose Tyson Chandler without adding any significant contributors. If the Mavs wish to make the playoffs again, they need Matthews to perform exceptionally well. Dallas received a ton of doubt from the sports world after giving Matthews a max deal, and Matthews will want to silence those doubters. He has already completed one step in doing so.
