HOUSTON, Texas --- The torn ligament in Luol Deng's left wrist was major news at the end of last season but has generated zero headlines this year.

It's a satisfying development for Deng, especially given the angst surrounding his decision to compete in the Olympics last summer rather than undergo surgery.

"People say a lot of things sometimes without thinking about the actual person going through it," Deng said. "It's very easy to stand from far and say he shouldn't do this and he should do that.

"I felt like I could play. I felt like the pain was better, the wrist was improving and every decision I made I knew was the best decision for me and the team. I wouldn't do anything where I think I'm going to hurt myself or jeopardize the team. I'm just glad that I was able to play good enough to put the wrist talk behind me because for a while no matter what I did it was about my wrist. If I had a bad game, it was because of my wrist. It was not. I just played bad. It happens."

Deng said he feels a twinge of pain now and then but it doesn't prevent him from doing whatever he wants on a basketball court.

"I'll talk to the doctors more about it and we'll see what route we take," he said when asked if he'll undergo surgery this offseason.