Dallas Mavericks

Wesley Matthews took a big step forward in his Achilles injury recovery

Published Oct. 12, 2015 5:01 p.m. ET

foxsports

Wesley Matthews is still recovering from an Achilles tear he suffered last season as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, but his future with the Dallas Mavericks is suddenly looking a lot brighter.

Matthews is renowned for his toughness and ability to play through pain, but recovering from an Achilles injury is a lot different. With the NBA season rapidly approaching, though, Matthews took a very important step forward in practice.

Here's more from Earl K. Sneed at Mavs.com:

Mavs G Wes Matthews participated in contact drills for the first time in training camp and said he feels good and remains optimistic he'll be ready for opening night.

“Matthews went through the majority of the contact work today, so he was a go today for contact. And he did extremely well, which is a great sign,” Carlisle said.

He added: “You know, when he’s involved in the live parts of practice, you see how he’s going to fit in with the team. He played well. He’s very good defensively, he hits open shots, he’s going to be a leader on our team, and he brings a toughness and a grit. He’s going to help us in many ways."