Al Jefferson Injury: Updates on Hornets Star's Recovery from Knee Surgery

Charlotte Hornets big man Al Jefferson has been cleared for non-contact and conditioning drills after undergoing surgery to repair a right meniscus tear, according to theCharlotte Observer's Bill Kiser.Continue for updates.Jefferson Likely Won't Return Until After All-Star BreakSunday, Feb. 7They said it depends on how I feel, Jefferson said, per Kiser. If I had my way, Id like to get at least one game, maybe two games, in before the break. But it really depends on how the running goes this week and how good I feel.When healthy, he is a double-double threat every time he steps on the court. He averaged 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds a night in his first season with the Hornets in 2013-14 (as a third-team All-NBA member) and followed that up with 16.6 points and 8.4 rebounds a night last year. Thus far, he is averaging 12.5 points and 6.1 reboundsin the 2015-16 campaign.Jefferson is also a solid interior defender who averaged at least a block a game every season since 2006-07, when he was with the Boston Celtics. Opponents shot 1.8 percent worse from inside 10 feet when Jefferson was guarding them last year than their typical averages, per NBA.com.While Charlotte has the pieces to remain afloat in the Eastern Conference without Jefferson, it needs its star big man back and healthy if it hopes to make a playoff run and surpass expectations during a campaign that once appeared to be bursting with promise.
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