Nov. 23--PORTLAND, Ore. -- Taj Gibson has developed a well-earned reputation for recovering quickly from injuries.
That likely will change with his latest, a left ankle he now has sprained three times in seven months and twice in four weeks.
"I just have to be smart," Gibson said. "I really have to get it strong because it hurts my athleticism, not being able to do certain things. It's frustrating because everyone knows how I am. It takes a lot to have me sit out. I just don't want the same thing to keep happening."
Gibson's frustration is amplified because he worked so hard on his rehab over the summer, even skipping a USA Basketball Select team invitation, and believed the injury to be behind him. Then he sprained it Oct. 31 against the Cavaliers and missed one game. This time, it sounds like he will miss more.
"It's still sore. It's still weak," Gibson said. "Just have to get back to trusting the doctors and doing it the right way instead of just saying, 'Patch me up, Coach,' and throwing me out there. I have to be smarter."
According to Gibson, who protected his ankle with a walking boot and crutches, his teammates told him the same thing. Derrick Rose, in particular, counseled Gibson.
"He was just saying to me, 'It's the same ankle that has been bothering you?' I was like, 'Yes,'" Gibson said. "He said, 'You just have to be patient. You really have to get on top of that.' It's a long year. Can't sprint to the finish line already; we have a long fight. Just have to be smart and get back fully healthy."
No thanks: Mike Dunleavy showed remorse for his flagrant-one foul on Damian Lillard in Friday night's loss to the Trail Blazers, saying he merely tried to stop the clock with an intentional foul because Joakim Noah lay on the floor after getting hit in the face.
"Nice kid. I got nothing against him," Dunleavy said. "It was totally unintentional in terms of trying to hurt or injure somebody. I was just trying to intentionally foul him because Jo was lying in the paint."
Lillard called the play "cheap" five times in his postgame interview. Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts agreed.
"I don't know what Mike was thinking," Stotts said. "To take out a shooter like this in a defenseless position, I thought it was uncalled for."
