| | PHOENIX -- Penny Hardaway was back in the lineup for the
Phoenix Suns on Saturday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers
after missing 21 games with a foot injury.
The Suns celebrated Hardaway's return Saturday night with their third consecutive victory, 101-88 over the road-weary Cleveland Cavaliers, who lost their fifth in a row.
| |  | |
| Hardaway |
"He was cleared to play. He's worked out the past few days,"
Suns coach Scott Skiles said. "He worked out real hard yesterday
in L.A. We talked when he got here today and we just felt like it
was a good time for him to get his feet wet.
"We could wait two or three or four more days, but if he's
ready, he's ready."
Hardaway had been on the injured list since Dec. 21 with what
was eventually diagnosed as a partially torn plantar fascia on the
bottom of his right foot. Initially, doctors didn't know the injury
was a tear and thought rest was all that was necessary.
But when the pain didn't subside, Hardaway went to a specialist
in Los Angeles who diagnosed a partial tear. His foot was in a cast
for two weeks.
Hardaway went through an intense workout in Los Angeles on
Friday.
"It went well," Hardaway said before Saturday's game. "I had
a few cuts I was afraid to make, but I got used to doing it."
He said he experienced no pain.
Hardaway said he began feeling good about five days ago.
"The things I was doing and the movements I was doing I
couldn't do or even try to do a month ago," Hardaway said.
Skiles decided to start Hardaway alongside Jason Kidd in the
backcourt.
"You might as well put him back in there, let him start the
game," Skiles said. "That's what he's comfortable doing. That's
what he's used to doing. Then we'll just keep an eye on him like we
did Googs when he first came back."
He was referring to Tom Gugliotta, who came back after suffering
a life-threatening seizure.
The Suns were 10-11 in Hardaway's absence. He wasn't the only
player missing during parts of that stretch, though. Phoenix also
lost Gugliotta, Luc Longley, Rex Chapman and Shawn Marion.
Marion remains out after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.
Chapman has been bothered by a sore ankle.
When Hardaway was hurt, Danny Ainge was the head coach. Hardaway
is familiar with Skiles. The two were teammates in Orlando.
Skiles said Hardaway and Kidd were just figuring out how to play
together when the injury occurred.
"Really the first seven or eight games, Jason wasn't playing
well. He was kind of tip-toeing around, as was everybody. After
that, some good things started happening, then shortly after that
Penny went down."
Hardaway, obtained in a trade with Orlando and signed to a
seven-year, $86 million contract, was averaging 16.3 points per
game. Phoenix was 11-4 in games that Hardaway played.
Having Hardaway back should help Kidd because of the matchup
problems the two big guards present, Skiles said.
"If he's healthy and they're both playing well together in the
backcourt, there are a lot of problems for other teams," Skiles
said. "I don't think we can expect a whole lot out of Penny
initially, but it's certainly nice to have him back."
After Saturday night's game, the Suns leave on a five-game road
trip that ends with a visit to Hardaway's old team, Orlando.
To make room for Hardaway, the Suns placed Mark West on the
injured list with back spasms. | |
ALSO SEE
Every Penny Helps: Hardaway returns to help Suns beat Cavs
 |
