Marvin Williams is dealing with a shoulder injury, but he's not letting it hold him back. Charlotte Hornets head coach James Borrego has nothing but effusive praise for the veteran and he's labeling him a “warrior” for his speedy return to action.

“You’ve got to give Marvin a lot of credit; most guys would not have played,” Hornets coach James Borrego said to Rick Bonnell of The Island Packet Saturday. “This is not an injury (that heals easily), especially on his shooting shoulder. He’s a warrior. He’s a competitor. He wanted to be out there with his team. He battles.”

No one can question Williams' toughness. Five days removed from the initial injury to his shoulder and he was already back in action. Furthermore, he plans to play on Sunday when the Hornets take on the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden.

Williams could easily take time off and give his shoulder extra rest to ensure that his injury doesn't linger. But Williams has an old-school mentality and made his way back to the court sooner than the Hornets predicted.

Charlotte will look to climb back to .500 on Sunday against the Knicks. The Hornets are currently the seven seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture with a record of 12-13. It's far too early to know what the playoff picture will look like in a few months, but the Hornets hope to secure a playoff berth on the back of Kemba Walker.

If the Hornets are going to do that, it helps to have “warriors” like Marvin Williams on the roster.