Brandon Roy Returns To Trail Blazers Practice

Added on Feb 09, 2011 by Scott in

NBA

Just three weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on both knees, Portland Trail Blazers starting guard Brandon Roy is set to rejoin his teammates at practice. Head coach Nate McMillan won’t set a timetable for Roy’s return to game action until he sees how Roy handles a normal practice regimen. According to Brandon, his knees “feel good.” However, for a player with a history of knee ailments, it might be better to err on the side of caution rather than rush him back into the fray before he’s ready.

Roy underwent a similar procedure on his right knee last season prior to the playoffs. In his four-plus years, he has yet to complete a full 82-game schedule, and has already missed 29 games this season. He’s averaging 16.6 points in 23 games played thus far and is hoping to be available again this weekend.

At 28-24, Portland currently sits in the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. There’s no doubt they could use Roy’s perimeter prowess, but they have fared well in his absence going 16-10. Power forward LaMarcus, Aldridge, who should’ve received an All-Star invite, has increased his scoring and rebounding dramatically since Roy has been out.

McMillan will likely ease his former All-Star guard back into the rotation, but one can’t help but wonder how effective Roy will be the remainder of the season. The nightly wear and tear on his already gimpy knees could end up sidelining him permanently. Hopefully, that won’t be the case. When healthy, #7 is capable of single-handedly taking over games on both ends of the floor. But bad knees at 26 is not a recipe for career longevity.

Source: ESPN.com