Mavericks’ Nowitzki has knee surgery

Nowitzki will miss the start of the regular season and will resume basketball
activity within approximately six weeks. He missed the last three preseason
games with right knee effusion.

The 11-time All-Star battled through the injury last season, but still
averaged 21.6 points and 6.7 rebounds while missing only four of the 66 games
in the abbreviated campaign. Dallas, which won the first NBA championship in
franchise history during the 2010-11 season, was swept in the first round of
the playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

In 1,055 career games with Dallas, the 34-year-old Nowitzki has averaged 22.9
points and 8.3 rebounds.

The Mavericks open the season on Oct. 30 against the Los Angeles Lakers.