Kings Notes: Hawes bearer of good news

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Kings Notes: Hawes is bearer of good news
By Scott Howard-Cooper - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 1:39 am PDT Saturday, October 20, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C5


PORTLAND, Ore. -- Spencer Hawes drove down from Seattle on Friday as part of the road back from knee surgery, rejoining the Kings for the first time since the operation. He responded to embraces from teammates with smiles and encouraging news.

"Every day since two or three days after, it's felt better and better," he said. "The swelling is down. Your mind tells you it might be farther along than it really is, but it feels better than it has in a long time."

Hawes, the rookie center taken with the 10th pick in the draft, underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Oct. 10 in Seattle, his hometown. He originally planned to stay a few days and accompany the Kings to New Mexico for exhibition games on Tuesday and Thursday, but instead stayed in Washington with the team's permission rather than deal with traveling on a sore leg and dealing with whatever difficulties could arise from changing air pressure on the flights.

Instead, he made the three-hour drive to Portland on Friday afternoon and was on the bench for the exhibition game against the Trail Blazers. There remains no target date for a return to practice, let alone game action. "But the way it feels, it should be pretty soon," he said.

"Pretty soon" being a relative term. The original timetable called for Hawes to be sidelined about a month, and the Kings having no interest in rushing the recovery of a young player with a bright future and a history of knee problems.

"I'm thinking the end of November, he should be 100 percent," coach Reggie Theus said. "But that's just speculating."

For now, Hawes has been limited to riding a stationary bike and doing exercises to work the knee's range of motion. The next step is to begin running, although without cutting.

The fallout
--Josh Howard of the Dallas Mavericks was suspended two games by the NBA for striking Brad Miller of the Kings in the back of the head with a forearm and pushing Miller in the back during the second quarter of Tuesday's exhibition game in Las Cruces, N.M.

The league said Howard "escalated a situation" that started with Miller and Devin Harris tangling and also cited him for "engaging with other Kings' players."

Howard will miss regular-season games at Cleveland and Atlanta and return for Dallas' home opener Nov. 3 -- against the Kings.

"I never saw what he did until the replays," Miller said. "Whatever they want to do."

About the writer: The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper can be reached at showard-cooper@sacbee.com.
 
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