The Charlotte Hornets got some updates on their injured forwards, Jamal Mashburn and George Lynch, Tuesday.

Mashburn sees "progress" in his strained abdominal muscle but admits he won?t be back until one month from now at the earliest.

Lynch is ahead of schedule on his broken left toe injury and has set Jan. 7 as the date for his return to action.

Mashburn, speaking to reporters for the first time in a month, confirmed what Hornets officials have said for the past month about his desire to avoid surgery.

However, Mashburn said that should the current rehabilitation and physical therapy exercises not work, he may have no choice but agree to surgery that will end his season.

"The decision will come down to me," said Mashburn, who hasn?t played since Nov. 17. "I?d rather settle for therapy than get cut on. But if the pain is still there and not responding to the treatment ..."

Mashburn spent a week in Vancouver, B.C., with a physical therapist who specialized in the injury that is most common in hockey and soccer players.

"It?s gotten a little bit better, but it?s going to take some time," said Mashburn, who began this current treatment two weeks ago. "After this four-to-six weeks time, I?ve got another phase to go through before I can play again."

Mashburn said the worst part of the injury before the recent diagnosis was fear of the unknown.

He even admitted that he had himself checked for colon cancer, a condition his mother developed during last season but has since gone into remission.

"At least now I have some answers," said Mashburn, a noted weight training fanatic who has a personal trainer. "I thought it was something that would go away. But it didn?t go away.

"It?s been tough for me because I?m used to being active. I still feel pain, but I have seen progress. Just not the kind of progress I want to see."

Lynch, acquired Oct. 25 from Philadelphia, hasn?t played since having two surgeries on a fractured fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot that he suffered during last season?s Eastern Conference semifinals against Toronto.

Lynch is slated to be cleared to walk without the protective boot he?s had on his foot since the latest surgery Oct. 30.

He?s already gotten positive feedback on his recovery.

"When I saw the doctor three weeks ago, he said the bone wasn?t completely healed, but it was ahead of schedule," said Lynch, a former University of North Carolina star. "When the boot comes off, the plan is to get in shape as fast as possible. To do that, I?ll have to have a mini-training camp for myself."