El Hombre Paciente: Faverani's slow recovery

ESPNBoston.com

By Chris Forsberg 

WALTHAM, Mass. -- Boston Celtics second-year center Vitor Faverani said his knee is feeling better, but is still not close to resuming basketball activities and the team has not established any timeline for his potential return to game action.

Faverani, five weeks removed from a second surgery on a balky left knee, engaged in some light shooting Saturday as his teammates stretched following an afternoon practice. Faverani then met with reporters, but had little news on his progress.

"My knee is good; I'm happy," said Faverani, who suggested he feels "100 percent" better following a second surgery in Spain last month. But asked what activities he's able to engage in, Faverani said he's been limited to pool work and the exercise bike. He said there's potential he'll try the AlterG non-weight-bearing treadmill next week to resume running.

The Celtics suggested a 6-8 week recovery after Faverani's second surgery, but it appears he's not close to that timetable. Faverani said the team has not recently discussed when he might be back on the floor.

"We’re just taking our time," said Faverani. "I don’t know. I don’t want the same to happen to me, like before -- back to play before I can. I don’t want to injure it any more."

He added: "[A return to basketball activities] depends on my knee. It depends on how my knee recovers. We're working hard everyday to get better. I'm happy with the progress."

Faverani averaged 4.4 points and 3.5 rebounds over 13.2 minutes per game in 37 appearances last season. He opened his rookie campaign as the team's starting center, but faded quickly while learning the team's defensive system and ultimately spent time with the Maine Red Claws of the D-League, where he believes he originally injured the knee in February.

Faverani underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in March and the team hoped to have him back on the floor for the start of training camp. Faverani tried to ramp up his activities at that point, but experienced pain and swelling in the knee.

The team agreed to let him trek to Spain to seek a second opinion -- and ultimately undergo surgery -- with a doctor that's treated him throughout his pro career.

Faverani seemed positive Saturday despite the lack of progress.

"It’s tough, but it’s my life," said Faverani. "Everybody has injuries, this is my first injury. I’m just happy because [the team has] great doctors, great therapy guys. I just hope to get better."

Celtics coach Brad Stevens said earlier this month that there hasn't been much progress with Faverani and the team didn't have a timeline for his return.

After the surgery last month, Stevens said: "I feel bad for Vitor, I think he’s frustrated, too. Because he gets back, gets on the court and, for whatever reason, he gets swelling and pain. He just wants to get a clean bill of health. It’s been a while."

Indeed, Faverani couldn't recall the last time he played 5-on-5 basketball when asked Saturday.

"I can’t remember. Before my first surgery," he said. "I worked really hard all summer in Spain, but I never played basketball. Here, I got [up] shots, worked, but never 5-on-5."

Told it might have been in the D-League where he hurt himself, Faverani smiled and offered, "Maybe. I don’t remember. It’s a long time ago."

Faverani is earning $2.1 million this season in the second year of a three-year pact he inked with Boston in the summer of 2013. The final season of his deal is nonguaranteed.

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Basketball big men and leg injuries are never good combinations.

History, more than just my opinion, suggests that Vitor may never make much of a contribution for the Celtics.

I hope that I am wrong and that he becomes healthy enough to help as the Cs certainly still need someone to better protect the lane.