LOS ANGELES_While the rest of their teammates went five on five against their coaches, D'Angelo Russell and Nick Young went through shooting drills on the other end of the Los Angeles Lakers' practice court.
The team's starting backcourt is getting closer to its return, but neither player has returned to contact drills yet. They both participated in the non-contact portions of Thursday's practice.
"I mean, I feel good," Russell said. "I waited so long to get back on the court until I was 100 percent. I feel great. Just about, I don't know, knocking the dust off before I get ... in the game, so try to get it out now, knock the rust off while I'm out here now."
Russell had a platelet-rich plasma injection on Nov. 23 to help the soreness in his left knee. The Lakers said he would be sidelined for at least two weeks. He did off-court rehab work until Tuesday, when a doctor examined him and agreed he was ready for on-court work.
Russell, who did not travel with the Lakers to Houston, is out for Friday's game against the Phoenix Suns, as are Young (right calf strain), point guard Jose Calderon (right hamstring strain) and center Tarik Black (sprained right ankle).
Before they return to play, they'll need to go through a practice, if the schedule allows, or at least a three-on-three drill, Coach Luke Walton said.
While neither the Lakers nor Russell want to rush his return, Russell is itching to return to the Lakers' lineup.
"When you get back out there you gotta make your presence known," he said. "Hopefully when I come back I can bring the energy back. I'm not saying we're dead or anything as far as energy-wise, but I definitely want to kick it up a notch."
In the meantime, he's cured his boredom with his two dogs.
"I have dogs that I play with," Russell said. "They take up all of my time."
