Stoudemire is cleared to intensify workouts
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Amaré Stoudemire starts moving faster today.
The Suns' sidelined star was still long enough Thursday for a pivotal magnetic resonance imaging exam, which showed no problems with how his surgically repaired left knee has responded to more than three months of rehabilitation.
That cleared the way for the team's medical staff to advance Stoudemire's work immediately. He will jog for the first time today, and with no setbacks, he could go through a progression of different basketball activities such as five-on-none, one-on-one and two-on-two play later this month.
Stoudemire can ramp up his agility drills to include multi-directional movement for the first time. He alternates days between agility and strength work.
Although Thursday's MRI was a major hurdle, the Suns do not have a timetable for his return. Stoudemire has said he would play no earlier than the first week of March, but also has mentioned coming back in April or not at all this season as possibilities.
"It just depends how he responds to it for when we progress," Suns head athletic trainer Aaron Nelson said. "We're heading in the right direction."
Stoudemire, 23, has not played this season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on Oct. 11. He had a lesion that was 8 millimeters by 1 centimeter, requiring a microfracture procedure to repair the cartilage damage.
Phoenix leads the Pacific Division without him at 30-16 and plays the next four games at home, starting Saturday night against the Chicago Bulls.
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