Rehab updates.
Lamb said during the NBA restart in July that he didn’t want to set a timetable for his return. But Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said Nov. 25 that he expects Lamb to return for the Pacers around mid-to-late January and Lamb confirmed Friday that he hasn’t had “a lot of setbacks.” He can play one-on-one but hasn’t met the requirements to be cleared for any other competition.
Head coach Nate Bjorkgren has been a “great communicator” throughout the rehab, Lamb said. The team did “95% defense” at practice Friday with an emphasis on conditioning, but Lamb did not participate; yet working through his rehab, Bjorkgren has encouraged Lamb to inform him when he feels uncomfortable doing certain movements.
He hasn’t done much, and for that reason, he said he’s not ready to put the injury and the recovery behind him. Lamb knows there’s more discomfort to come: His first knee pain after a game, the first practice. But as the Pacers returned to practice Friday, Lamb wanted to be there. “Don't take anything for granted,” Lamb said. “As many times as I said, ‘I really don't feel like practicing.’ Today, I really felt like practicing.”
