PORTLAND, Ore. — For those fans who arrive at Pepsi Center as a certain Nuggets player, it’s getting close to mohawk mode. Birdman is (almost) back.
Fan favorite Chris “The Birdman” Andersen, who hasn’t played this season while recovering from knee surgery, is getting close to returning to games, Nuggets coach George Karl said Thursday, “sooner than later.” The reserve center will step up his workouts significantly in the next three days, which will determine just how ready he is to be back in the low post. Earlier this fall, Denver had tabbed Dec. 1 as his return.
Also, forward Kenyon Martin (knee) is taking steps toward playing again. He did some light running Thursday at the Rose Garden. Martin said he has a doctor’s appointment in early December for a progress report.
Karl said when Andersen returns, it’s possible the coach will start Al Harrington at power forward, alongside Nene, with Ander- sen and Shelden Williams coming off the bench.
Feeling his pain.
Portland center Greg Oden is scheduled for microfracture surgery today on his left knee — three years after he underwent microfracture surgery on his right knee. Martin, a fellow No. 1 overall draft pick, is believed to be the only player to return from two microfracture surgeries.
“I just feel really bad for the kid,” Martin said. “For what everybody has to say about it, it’s unfair. Nobody asks to get hurt, and nobody asks for surgery. . . . He was going through a (rehabilitation) already.
“For him to be going through the patella thing and now, on top of that, micro- fracture surgery, that’s rough. I, at least, got to play in between (my surgeries). He didn’t get to.”
Oden is in Vail, undergoing the surgery by Dr. Richard Steadman, who did surgeries on Martin’s knees.
Benjamin Hochman, The Denver Post
