Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin took his biggest step to returning today, going through five-on-five scrimmages for the first time in nearly a calendar year.
And by all reports, he passed the preseason test with flying colors.
“It felt good,” said Martin, who continues to rehab from microfracture surgery on his right knee Nov. 15. “Just doing all I can now. Just trying to get better, build up to Oct. 31.”
Said Nuggets coach George Karl: “It was the best day for him, by far. He got through it all. He’s rusty, but by looking at him, I think he surprised us and I think he surprised himself on how much he got done.”
Karl emphasized Martin’s showing will not speed up the timetable for getting the forward major minutes on the court during the regular season.
The plan remains to ease Martin into playing by monitoring his minutes through much of the first three months of the season. Around the all-star break, if Martin is playing well and playing pain-free, the Nuggets will increase his minutes.
Martin had microfracture surgery on his left knee in the summer of 2005.
Footnotes
Former Nuggets coach Jeff Bzdelik attended the morning session of Friday’s two-a-days. Bzdelik, now head basketball coach of the University of Colorado, spoke at a coaching clinic Friday afternoon. He coached the Nuggets from 2002-04. Forward Eduardo Najera (lower back strain) and center Steven Hunter (right knee inflammation) did not participate in morning practice.
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
