Portland Trail Blazers set date for Joel Przybilla’s comeback
The Portland Trail Blazers are having a strong start this season despite having an injury-riddled front line, but they are expected to get a boost inside after the team sets a target date for the return of
centre Joel Przybilla.
According to general manager Rich Cho, Przybilla will play his first game this season when they go up against the New Orleans Hornets on 26 November at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon.
The 31-year old centre, who has been out since last December after sustaining a season-ending right knee injury, said that he can already play 10-12 minutes starting Thursday 4 November, but their doctors
are still being cautious and decided to rest Przybilla for two to three weeks more.
The 10-year veteran will have a lot of time to adjust before making his season debut, because Portland will have a five-day break before their match against the Hornets, and Przybilla is very eager to play
in front of their home-town fans again.
Przybilla ruptured his right patella tendon on 22 December 2009 in a game against the Dallas Mavericks, which required an immediate surgery. While recovering from the operation, he re-injured the same knee
in March when he slipped while having a shower.
He reported to the team’s training camp on 10 October and eyed a comeback in Portland’s season-opener on 26 October, but head coach Nate McMillan decided not to rush things out for his big man.
On the other hand, Portland declined to set a return date for Greg Oden, who has been out since sustaining a broken left patella on 5 December 2009.
General manager Cho said that the 2008 first-overall pick is still working his way back from the nasty injury, and he can’t set a return date, but the Blazers are looking forward to having him back in their
fold.
"It's hard to say," Cho said, when asked to give a target date for Oden's return. "I hate to put a timeline on it. He is working hard every day, and I look forward to seeing him come back. I don't really
want to put a timetable on it and put any pressure on him."
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