Dallas ? Dirk Nowitzki is not expected to play in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals, Dallas Mavericks coach Don Nelson said Wednesday.

“I’d say very doubtful is the way we have to approach it, but let’s still wait and see,” Nelson said. “If he can’t play his normal rotation, I don’t think he should play.”

Nowitzki planned to rest his sprained left knee until a pregame shootaround tonight. San Antonio leads the series 3-2.

“It will probably come down to how I feel right before the game,” he said. “The thing is, I can’t have any pain. I can’t go out there with the mindset that it’s not great and I can’t really push off. I’ve got to know I won’t have any pain once I’m out there.

“I’m not really confident in my knee right now. But I’m sure by tomorrow I’ll feel a lot better.”

Dallas is 1-1 without its leading scorer and rebounder. The Mavs were on the brink of elimination Tuesday when they rallied from a 19-point deficit and forced a sixth game. The longer it goes, the better chance the 7-foot All-Star has of making it back.