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**Pioneer10** · 04-13-2005, 09:04 AM

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Surgery cures Jackson's pain

With back much better, Cavaliers rookie looks forward to playing again

Editor's note: This is one of a series of journal entries by Cavaliers rookie Luke Jackson as told to Beacon Journal staff writer Brian Windhorst.

Hello again, everyone.

I know we haven't had an entry in a few months.

This hasn't gone the way I planned, just like my season hasn't gone the way I'd hoped.

In January, I had surgery at the Cleveland Clinic to shave a bulging disc in my lower back that was pinching a nerve and really causing me a lot of pain in my leg.

It ruined my rookie season and was a disappointment, but I'm pain free now, and I'm excited about the future again.

Coming into the season, my back was hurting. Last summer at my second practice at Gund Arena, when I came in for summer league, I was in an awkward position, and I got hit from the side and my leg just went numb.

I've never hurt my back, never had back problems, and no one in my family's had back problems.

It kept me from finishing summer league, and I really didn't know what it was.

I just kept on telling myself I'll keep doing therapy, I'm going to be OK, and no one is going to know anything and I'll be fine.

Even though I was hurt, I thought I could and should be playing.

I wasn't telling the team anything really. I've played through injuries before, and I've always seen that as a part of the game.

I've always been really athletic and I don't think anybody on the team or even the coaching staff ever got to see how athletic I was.

When I worked out in Atlanta for the Hawks last spring, my vertical leap was higher than Josh Smith's off one leg. I felt like that was taken away from me with the back injury.

I didn't shoot the ball well, and I couldn't move well and I wasn't able to contribute to the team, which was the worst part of it all.

Not being able to be on the floor hurt so much, because I'm such a competitive guy and I really did think I could help the team.

By January I was in so much pain that I finally started to let the team and trainers know.

I was really nervous about having surgery, but at that point I didn't care, because I couldn't put my socks on in the morning and I was still going to practice trying to compete.

I want to have a good basketball career, but I also want to have a normal life.

After the operation, the pain was instantly gone.

I really feel I can be at 100 percent; I feel a little better each day. Sometimes it is like climbing a ladder, you take two steps up and one back, but I know that I'll get there.

I'm looking forward to playing in summer league this year and getting my game back.

I keep hearing about how we need a shooting guard to go with LeBron.

If I'm not that shooting guard right now, I'm the guy who is going to spend the time to be that guy.

I'm addicted to the gym, addicted to making myself better. Thanks for your support, I'm looking forward to my future.

**Benedict_Boozer** · 04-13-2005, 09:27 AM

^^That's very good news. If he really had a higher vertical than Josh Smith before his back injury that bodes well for the future.

It sucks that he couldn't play more this year so we could assess what we have with him and spend our free agent money more wisely.

futuristxen · 04-13-2005, 10:23 AM

Heh. Higher vert than Josh Smith. From the horses mouth himself. Nice. Yeah, definitely didn't get to see that aspect of his game. It would be a shame if he actually panned out to be a terrific player. I mean, what with all the people who have been on his case before he even played an NBA minute.

This of course still makes Jiri Welsch a third wheel of sorts.

**remy23** · 04-13-2005, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by futuristxen

This of course still makes Jiri Welsch a third wheel of sorts.

Indeed. I always felt Jiri WAS the third wheel because even the injured version of Luke Jackson played better than he did. And any bit of improvement Jackson shows once he's healthy will put Jiri further and further down (unless Jiri can work hard to improve his game to stop the slide).

**Pioneer10** · 04-13-2005, 11:27 AM

We're going to have to trade one of three sasha, luke, or jiri. 3 first rounds pick for the same type of player. Sometimes a team just needs to show a little patience as I still think if Luke is really healthy he will become a solid player. But now two first rounders are gone: stupid moves by Paxson

**kamego** · 04-13-2005, 12:06 PM

Luke can shoot the 3 like the Cavs need. He will be a welcomed back addition to the team next season. It's a shame he was hurt all year.

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