After his second surgery to clean out his infected elbow, Warriors forward David Lee has finally "turned the corner" and is headed to full recovery.
That is according to Warriors general manager Larry Riley and the doctor who performed the second surgery. Lee is resting at Stanford Hospital after a follow-up surgery to cleanse the infected area. He is likely to be out at least another 10 days.
Dr. Bill Maloney, head of orthopedic surgery at Stanford Hospital, said the infection was in Lee's skin and in the tissue directly below the skin. He performed the second surgical cleansing and said it did not spread to the muscle or bone.
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He said Lee's elbow "is in good shape." The swelling is going down and the skin is returning to its normal color. He said the injury is not career threatening but the proper treatment is imperative.
According to sources, the initial expectation after Lee sustained the injury on Nov. 12 was that Lee would be out about two weeks. That timetable could still be accurate though it is possible Lee could be out a bit longer.
Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki had a similar injury. On Dec. 18, 2009, after a collision in the paint, Nowtizki had had a tooth from then-Houston forward Carl Landry lodged into his right elbow. But Nowitzki, who had his elbow treated immediately and did not return to action, avoided infection and missed only one game.
