Rubio cleared to return to practice but news not all good for Wolves

LOS ANGELES - Given their season so far, it's probably fitting that on the same day the Timberwolves received important, encouraging injury news, they took one step back on that front, too.

Ricky Rubio's knee surgeon Wednesday cleared him to participate with no limitations in contact practices, a decision that could have the precocious point guard back playing games by the second week of December.

That same night, however, starting small forward Andrei Kirilenko missed a game against the Clippers because of back spasms that bothered him since Saturday's game at Golden State and worsened after he played 41 minutes in Monday's victory at Sacramento. Veteran Josh Howard started for him at small forward.

Rubio hasn't played since he tore his ACL and lateral collateral ligament near the end of a March 9 game against the Lakers. He underwent surgery in Vail, Colo., on March 21, the start of an eight-month rehabilitation process that included several return visits to Colorado for checkups.

His latest visit this week brought clearance from Dr. Richard Steadman that it's time for Rubio to really go back to work.

"Certainly it gives us hope that if he can play at the level he was, then suddenly we're a much better team than we were," Wolves coach Rick Adelman said.

Adelman was careful not to put a timeline on when Rubio might play his first game. But he did mention a schedule that gives Rubio three practice days next week and three or four the week after. That would put a return right around a Dec. 12 game against Denver at Target Center.

A.K. outKirilenko, however, walked carefully because of a stiff back around the Wolves locker room in a sport coat and jeans before the game.

Adelman said Kirilenko played the entire second half Monday because both of them were concerned his back would stiffen and he'd be done for the night if he came out of the game.

"All this will pass," said Kirilenko, who said he has the same condition every year and it usually takes six, seven days to resolve itself. "Before the age of 25, I never show up in a treatment room. Twenty-five, you start going there and 30, you're always there."

Like a boy scoutHoward kept talking to Derrick Williams on the bench when he didn't play a second in three of the past four games entering Wednesday night. Howard has told the former No. 2 overall pick to remain patient.

Williams didn't play in Tuesday's victory at Sacramento because Adelman shortened his rotation and played to win, but did play 11 minutes -- scoring 10 points, with two three-pointers -- Saturday at Golden State.

"It's a tough league, over 300 guys out here who can do the same thing you can do. Do what you can do and go out there and execute. You've just got to be ready, at any time."