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Tarpley out for the season

DALLAS -- Dallas Mavericks forward Roy Tarpley, who originally was expected to miss no more than a month with a knee injury, will be lost for the entire season with a torn ligament, doctors said Tuesday.

Team physician Pat Evans discovered the extent of Tarpley's injury during artoroscopic surgery Tuesday. The ligament damage was repaired, but Evans said the keystone of the Dallas offense could not possibly return until the playoffs.

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In addition, guard Fat Lever underwent arthroscopic surgery Tuesday to remove floating bone chips from his right knee. He could be back in three weeks.

Tarpley, who has missed much of the last two seasons for violations of the NBA drug policy, collapsed during the first quarter of a game against Orlando last Friday.

After dunking the ball, he landed awkwardly on the court and his right knee buckled. He was carried from the court on a stretcher, but at the time doctors felt his injury consisted of nothing more than a kneecap that briefly slipped out of place.

An examination the following day did not reveal further damage and it was thought he would miss only a month of the campaign.

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But an MRI, a process involving the injection of fluid into the knee in order to facilitate x-rays, revealed a slight cartilage tear.

That made arthroscopic surgery necessary and it was only then that the extent of the damage was found.

'Roy had an injury that originally seemed very straightforward,' Evans said. 'We got the MRI and it showed us some things that caused us a lot more concern. We felt an arthroscopic was necessary. Unfortunately, we found the kind of damage we were concerned he might have had.'

Evans said the operation went well and that Tarpley had a chance for full recovery.

'He could be ready for the playoffs,' Evans said.

Tarpley was averaging 24 points in the four games he played before the injury.

His place in the starting lineup will be taken by Herb Williams with veteran Alex English and second-year forward Randy White now expected to see more playing time than originally planned.

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