Dallas Mavericks big man Dirk Nowitzki has been closing in on his much-anticipated return to action this season following a procedure performed on his ankle over the summer. According to a report, we may see the 40-year-old veteran make his season debut as early as Wednesday night against the Atlanta Hawks.

Mavs insider Brad Townsend broke the news on Twitter, stating that Nowitzki has been upgraded to questionable for Wednesday's contest.

While it is still possible that Dirk ends up sitting this one out, this is still definitely a step towards the right direction. The 7-foot center/forward underwent surgery on his left ankle over the summer, and has been taking an awfully long time to recover. At his age, though, this is understandable.

It is also worth noting that it was announced last week that Nowitzki was targeting a return to the court sometime this week, so it does appear that he is very close. If the German is unable to suit up for Wednesday, his next chance would be Thursday night when the Mavs travel to Arizona to face the Phoenix Suns.

Whatever the case may be, we should fully expect the Mavericks to bring Dirk along as slowly as they possibly can. This is the former MVP's 20th season in the league, and it is a fact that his battle-tested body will require a longer recovery period as compared to his younger compatriots. Nevertheless, with his team outperforming expectations thus far, they may need every bit of Nowitzki's 20-year, championship-caliber experience if the Mavs intend to make a push for the postseason.