That smile didn't last for too long, though.
His road to recovery after having back surgery in April has been long. His training regime is typified by things like core strengthening. Anything even remotely resembling a vacation was short-lived.
But while a return date isn't set in stone yet, the worst of Howard's experience now appears over. He's even back on the floor—sort of.
Beyond the obvious good news that Howard is still capable of moving and doing things with a basketball, ESPN Los Angeles' Andy Kamenetzky notes some additional takeaways:
I have no idea how directly these snippets translate to Howard competing against actual NBA competition during an actual NBA game, but there's no denying he looks fairly spry for someone who went under the knife in April. His movements are fluid. His step and jump hooks contain bounce. He's able to handle some degree of pressure to his back in the form of Lakers assistant coach Darvin Ham's forearms. All welcome sights for a Lakers fan's eyes.
Spry indeed.
He isn't just dealing with some mild pressure to that back; he's also testing it with those dream shakes.
If you're watching the video and wondering why he can't jump right into the action, remember that Howard's only being subjected to minimal contact. He may be backing up into a forearm, but he's not having to deal with a whole lot of resistance.
Nor is he having to deal with the speed of a game, high-flying acrobatics or—no pun intended—putting his back into some post-defense.
There's a reason Howard will continue to recover for a bit longer, and it's a good one. We all know by now that when athletes rush back to the court too soon, they're at greater ris...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
