KG TO RETURN NEXT WEEK - PERK IN 3 WEEKS

Before tonight's game, Doc Rivers said Kevin Garnett could return next week, either on Wednesday or even by Monday. Garnett has been out since injuring his calf December 29th in Detroit as he was going up for a dunk.


Perkins to return in three weeks

January 7, 2011, 7:40 pm
By Jessica Camerato
CSNNE.com

BOSTON - Kendrick Perkins has been sidelined for nearly 200 days. He expects to return in just three weeks, and it can’t come soon enough.

“It feels like these three weeks aren’t going by fast enough, but I guess the six months went by pretty fast,” he said on Friday prior to the Celtics - Raptors game. “I’m just trying to wait it out, see how it is.”

Perkins, who injured his knee during Game 6 of the 2010 NBA Finals, plans to begin practicing with the Celtics next week. He has been following a dedicated training regimen and started recruiting members of the C’s staff to play some half court ball after practice as well.

"I know he's been playing 3-on-3 with some of the guys,” said Doc Rivers. “Ty Lue has been doing a lot of it. They say he's looked great."

Given the infrequency of practices, Perkins tries to fit in workouts whenever he can. He has not experienced any swelling or other setbacks during his rehab. As he improves physically, he is keeping mentally strong as well.

“I think obviously it may take a few games just for me to get my rhythm back but I think all of it is mental,” he said. “I believe how much work you put in is what you get out of it, so I try to go hard every day. I basically bust my butt every day because I feel like hard work pays off.”

Perkins teammates have been pleased by the way he moves up and down the court. Rivers is happy with what he has seen as well, but he doesn’t get ahead of himself.

"When we do our skeleton stuff, I've seen him do that,” Rivers said of Perkins. “He's looked sensational. But I look good in skeleton, too."

Perkins expects to be back in the starting lineup when he returns. He could see himself coming off the bench for one or two games and then re-joining the starters.

“Like I always say, I’ve been with these guys for going on four years, and so the chemistry the starting five have, I don’t think anybody else could have because we all need each other,” he said. “We all compliment each other in different ways, so that’s how it is.”

Perkins has no doubt where he belongs on the Celtics. In just three weeks, he hopes to be back there.

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Kevin Garnett could play Monday

BOSTON -- Celtics center Kendrick Perkins expressed optimism Friday that he'd be able to return to game action in as little as three weeks, while coach Doc Rivers indicated that forward Kevin Garnett could return to Boston's starting lineup as early as Monday.

Rivers didn't have any formal update on Garnett before Friday's game with the Toronto Raptors, but he did suggest the veteran forward could be back on the court as early as Monday's visit from the Houston Rockets.

"He's shooting, doing everything," said Rivers. "I think he'll be back early next week."

Asked if Garnett might need a practice to shake any rust, Rivers smiled and said: "We're just going to throw him in. If he can't remember the stuff, we're in trouble."

More on the Celtics

Perkins, who tore his right ACL in Game 6 of the NBA Finals in June, got clearance to begin contact activities earlier this week and has participated in 3-on-3 games with teammates the past two days. Perkins said he plans to resume full-team practice activities next week, and a three-week window suggests he could be back in time for Boston's West Coast road trip, including the first meeting this season with the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 30.

Neither Perkins nor Rivers would establish a definitive timeline, but Perkins gushed with optimism about his progress, noting he's had no setbacks and hasn't even experienced any swelling since increasing his activity this week. Perkins knows the biggest hurdle will be the mental aspect of trusting his right knee again and not worrying about reinjuring it, but said he's not concerned about that.

"I just figure if it happens, it happens," said Perkins. "If it doesn't, that's a good thing. It's nothing I'm worried about. I literally have it in my mind that Dr. [Brian] McKeon fixed it better than my other leg. So that's how I go at it. And if something happens, I'm going to put it all on him."
Perkins resumed on-court, noncontact activity in late December, but the 3-on-3 games under the eye of director of basketball development Tyronn Lue are the latest leap in his recovery. A late January/early February return would mean he was able to get back from the ACL tear in little more than six months after surgery.

It's still not fast enough for him.

"It feel like these three weeks are not going by fast enough," said Perkins. "But I guess the six months went by pretty fast. I'm trying to wait it out, see how it goes."

Perkins also reiterated his preseason proclamation that he expects to resume his starting role when he returns -- though he did note that he wouldn't be opposed to a game or two off the bench as he eases back in.

Chris Forsberg covers the Celtics for ESPNBoston.com.

112288

i just want to see Perk playing on january 30th...

Hi,
I'd say don't rush, Perk, you'll have at least 7 weeks before playoffs if you start around All-Star break. Plenty of time.
As for KG, there's no need to hurry either.

AK

.....why not?if the Beast is ripe and ready for some ass kickin let him play,I don't mind seeing his physical dirty work in 3 weeks,he JON and Shaq for about 15-20 minutes a game,we are gonna seriously own that paint,this is gonna be fun,fun,fun to see all the pieces unfold.

Cow

Could not agree more. Start him out 5-10 minutes a game. he will need time to see what he can do and begin to have confidence in that knee. If something should happen ............hey there is always that chance but in the bigger picture IF he is healty and the Dr's have no issue by all means put the beast out there! Same for KG.

And with West comming along

Bradley goes to D..........Erdin sits or plays very little, Luke D maybe for a stint here and there perhaps. They will be nice problems to have I guess.


beat