Budinger back at Target Center, taking shots

Chase Budinger was back on the Target Center court Monday, taking shots.

But, at this point, that's about all he's doing, at least as far as basketball is concerned. Budinger, the Timberwolves forward, is still working his way back from Sept. 30 surgery on the same right knee he had work done on a season ago.

The good news is that this second procedure was not as extensive, and he should be back more quickly than he was last year. Budinger originally injured the meniscus in the knee on Nov. 10, 2012 in Chicago, and didn't return to action until March 21, 2013. He hopes to be back more quickly this time, but no timetable has been set for his return.

"I'm just taking it week by week," Budinger said after practice today. "I am progressing, very well, each week. But I can't really tell when I'll be back practicing or playing. Right now it's going slow, we're taking our time, getting it right, getting it strong so when I do get on the court it will be 100 percent.''

Budinger had the surgery done by Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla. And Budinger remained there for the initial rehabilitation after the surgery before returning to Minneapolis late last week. Budinger made his first appearance at Target Center before Saturday's game with Boston, when he went around the team's locker room greeting his teammates.

Budinger, a California native, said he got a bit lonely at times while in Florida.

"It was very difficult when I got the news and how it happened right before the season," said Budinger, who experienced soreness in his knee as he ramped up workouts before training camp started. "But I've been staying positive. I've actually had some help from my family. They bought books. I remember my uncle sent me like 10 books, all about the mental game, about staying ready, all this stuff. I've been reading those on my down time, and just staying positive knowing I'm going to be back on the court."

Meanwhile, the Wolves actually got in a practice Monday before boarding a plane for Washington to embark on another stretch of five games in seven nights. The Wolves finished up such a stretch against Boston Saturday, and coach Rick Adelman continues to be crabby about his team's early-season schedule. The Wolves have two back-to-backs in the coming week. They will return from Washington on Wednesday to play a Clippers team that had Tuesday off. They will play on the back end of a back-to-back in Houston on Saturday against a Rockets team that had two days' rest.

"I don't know if [the league] knows we're almost to Canada and Houston's almost all the way to Mexico," Adelman said. "That doesn't' seem like a real good back-to-back to me.''

Here is Adelman on a few subjects:

On finally getting a practice in: We have five in seven games and four in five days with the travel, so we did some things, but they weren't real enthusiastic about it," he said. "We went through some things offensively just to talk about things we need to clean up, and to talk a little about Washington defensively.''

On the Wizards: "It's a talented team," Adelman said. "I think that's why there's a lot of frustration there. From what we read, there's a lot of frustration there. I think they're going to be a good team at the end, but right now they're struggling.''