Nelson Returns to Warriors, Clearly Not 100 Percent

[NJNJ]

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OAKLAND -- Don Nelson rejoined the Warriors on Thursday morning, although you have to wonder whether he should have.

 

Nelson, who has missed the team's previous five games because of pneumonia, was present at the Warriors' morning shootaround and is scheduled to make his return for tonight's game against the Houston Rockets at Oracle Arena.

 

But Nelson, 69, admitted to still feeling a little tired and toward the end of a six-minute interview asked a group of reporters who were surrounding him if he could get up because he "was kind of sweaty right now."

 

Nelson left the Warriors after their victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Nov. 20. The Warriors went 2-3 in Nelson's absence as assistant coach Keith Smart took over.

 

Nelson said he's been instructed by his doctors to take it easy.

 

"Just to be careful," Nelson responded, when asked what his doctors have told him. "Make sure I get my rest. People who have had this, it takes a while really to get over it, to get your energy back. So I'll have to be careful and not try to do too much. I have a great staff that does most of the work anyway. Just to be around is a reward for me. But I've got to be careful when I stand up so that I don't stand up too quickly."