Dirk Nowitzki acknowledges that 16 games into this compressed, rapid-fire 66-game schedule, he remains a ways away from peak physical condition, and that includes dealing with irritation in his right knee that he said makes it difficult to bend.

Does Dirk need to sit out a few games to rest the knee or is continuing to grind through these games the better approach?

What nobody seems to know is if the constant string of games is helping players round into shape or is actually a detriment because the schedule offers little to no time for the body to recover.

"A little bit of both," Nowitzki said. "I mean a little bit of both."

Nowitzki clearly has not been his usual self this season. His scoring average has dipped all the way to 17.5 points a game, the exact average he finished the 1999-2000 season, his second in the league. His 45.6 shooting percentage, which got a boost with last week's 9-of-10 showing at Detroit, is the lowest since his rookie season, as is his 23.5 percent shooting from 3-point range.

Thursday night at Utah, Dirk scored just 12 points, already the fourth time this season that he has recorded 12 points or less. That happened just five times in 73 games last season.

Nowitzki is also averaging another statistical low going back 14 years to his rookie season and that's his current 30.9 minutes a game. He has already logged fewer than 30 minutes six times and 26 or fewer minutes four times. Last season, he played less than 30 minutes just seven times and 26 or fewer just three times.

"It's just getting back in the groove," Nowitzki said. "We didnt’ have the training camp that we wanted to. After the Euros [the Olympic qualifying tournament last summer] I was just sick of basketball, but I probably took too long of a time off, so it’s going to take me a while to get back into it. But, it’s [his knee] a lot better than it was three weeks ago, so that’s encouraging and we’ll keep on working."

As much as conserving minutes, particularly in the cases of Nowitzki and Jason Kidd, is top priority for coach Rick Carlisle -- can playing too little actually delay, as Dirk says, getting back in the groove?

Kidd is averaging a career-low 29.8 minutes, as well as a career lows in points (4.5), assists (5.5), rebounds (4.0) and shooting (30 percent).

He also has already missed four games with back spasms after getting injured while playing in a sixth game in eight nights. He had not missed more than two games in any of the previous six seasons.

"You’re trying to get in shape, into basketball shape and to this point there’s been so much bad basketball," Kidd said. "You look at Dirk the two games before the Lakers [last Monday], his combined minutes were 42, which we would love to have that happen, but at the same time you probably need minutes on the floor to get going, to get a rhythm."

For example, the Lakers' three stars, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, are all averaging more than35 minutes. Bryant is averaging 30 points a game and Gasol and Bynum are shooting better than 52 percent. Does logging more minutes directly correlate to their early production in this unique season?

"I don’t think there’s going to be a right [answer]," Kidd said. "Those guys are playing a lot of minutes. Now, will they be able to be ready come playoff time? Then, you’re not playing enough minutes to get in a rhythm, so it’s going to affect your shooting and your play. So, it’s a double-edged sword."