Adrian Griffin has had back problems before, so he's been through this kind of pain. That's why he knew he had to sit out Tuesday's season opener against the Detroit Pistons ? and why, he said, he's not going to rush back to the lineup.

"I have sort of a history of back problems," Griffin said.

Griffin's early target to return is the end of the week, although he knows not to go too fast. He suffered from back problems last season in Boston, but said this injury, which he suffered in workouts after Saturday's practice, is not the same.

"This is more spasms," Griffin said. "It was a sharp pain before."

Without Griffin, Mavericks coach Don Nelson said he will have to alter his game plan and rotation patterns.