Mavericks F Nowitzki to 'give it a go' vs. Thunder

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki is expected to play Monday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder after missing the last two games with a strained right adductor.

"It's OK. I'll give it a go tonight," Nowitzki told the team's website after Monday morning's shootaround. "It's going to be a little tight I guess, but if I wait till this is all gone, we might sit out another two weeks. I don't know how a pulled muscle heals, so I'll just try to give it a go. And if it's just tight, then it's fine. As long as it doesn't grab me and doesn't get worse during the game, I think that's the major key. But I'll try to get nice and loose, keep it warm during the game and try to give it a go."

Also, veteran Vince Carter missed the shootaround due to an illness. His status for Monday night's game is uncertain.