Elliot Teaford of the L.A. Times reports that Lamar Odom may be close to returning for the Clippers. He practiced with the team for the first time in 11 months yesterday. He participated in many of the drills, moving at about 60% of full speed on his injured right ankle.

Odom hasn?t played since Jan. 24 when he was placed on the injured list with a sprained wrist. While rehabbing the wrist, he sprained his ankle when he stepped on a stray basketball. He re-injured the ankle during the summer and had it placed in a hard cast in August.

"I feel like I just took a step forward," said Odom. "I can see a light at the end of the tunnel."

"With a couple more practices like this one I should be better," said Odom. "It doesn't react right yet. I've got to tell it what to do. 'Move. Go that way.' There's still some swelling."

The Clippers are being cautious with Odom. They will wait and see how the ankle responds to practice, but their tentative return date is Christmas. Coach Alvin Gentry seemed pleased enough to see Odom on the floor. But Gentry cautioned against expecting too much too soon from Odom.

"Obviously, he's not in midseason form, but it's a start," Gentry said. "When you're out that long, it's going to take a while to get back. It's taking Shaq [O'Neal, Laker center,] a while to get back, and he's the best player in the league by far. [Odom] is in the preliminary stages right now. He's doing drills and running through some plays."

"I'm getting ready to get back to what I do," Odom said. "That's playing basketball. I feel like I'm part of a team again. I get through this and I'll get through anything."