Just because no one was rushing him back doesn't mean that Timberwolves point guard Terrell Brandon wasn't missed.

Brandon, activated Saturday for the Wolves' game against the Golden State Warriors, spent nearly five weeks on the injured list recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. But solid play in practice last week had him ready for action again.

So when teammates saw his uniform at Brandon's cubicle in the dressing room, they knew they had their point guard back.

"They've been great. Very supportive," Brandon said of the Wolves players. "The fans have been writing me, sending me flowers and cards and saying 'Come back when you're ready.' "

Brandon, 31, missed 16 games after undergoing surgery to remove a "pea-sized" piece of cartilage. The Wolves went 12-4 in his absence. The 11-year veteran was averaging 13.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 9.0 assists. He ranks fifth in the NBA in assists and leads the league in assists-to-turnover ratio (6.60 to 1).