Lopez nearing return

Suns center Robin Lopez has begun one-on-one and two-on-two play during his rehabilitation from a knee injury and could return to full team practices next week.

Lopez has been participating in game-day shootarounds but needs practice before he can resume game action. After Friday's home game, the Suns will have four off days with three practices that will benefit his return.

"He's making progress, but he's still a couple weeks away," Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby said.

Lopez has missed 12 games since suffering partial tears of two left-knee ligaments.

When he returns to full strength, the Suns could go with a lineup that starts Lopez and Channing Frye.

Lopez averaged 5.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in nine starts this season. Of the Suns' past 50 regular-season and playoff games, Lopez has played 15.

"You've got to play some games before you get the timing and the feel back," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. "He looks fine in what he's done, but it's a whole different world when you start going out there and playing against guys and the cuts and the block-outs and the physical play."

Suns forward Josh Childress also is on a two-week wait before he can start playing without a splint on his right-index finger, which he fractured at the tip seven weeks ago.

Weekly X-rays have showed that the bone is taking longer than expected to heal.

"We're being really cautious about that," Babby said. "It has to completely heal before we take the splint off."