Michael Lee of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports: Just six and a half months after fracturing four vertebrae in his neck in a car accident, DerMarr Johnson is hoping to return to practice before the end of the regular season.

Johhnson has been doing non-contact drills for two months but needs verbal and written approval from three doctors.

Right now, all that is still needed is written approval from the third doctor.

Atlanta Hawks general manager Pete Babcock believes that approval could come soon.

"That could be any day, but there is no timetable," Babcock said. "We just need three experts to assure us that we're not going to do anything to hurt him."

However, Johnson has not regained full range of motion in his neck and he will not be allowed to play in of Atlanta's remaining games.