Joe Smith is giving serious consideration to having knee surgery.

Smith, who has been the team's starting power forward, has been plagued by knee problems since training camp. Smith told me last week he had his left knee drained and had also received a pain-kllling injection. The knee seemingly got better after the treatment, but in the last several days, the knee started flaring up again.

Smith didn't play against the Detroit Pistons last Saturday night at the Bradley Center, and he didn't play Tuesday night against the Dallas Mavericks at the BC.

"It's been frustrating,'' Smith said after the Mavericks' game. "It was getting better and then there were problems again. We've done all the necessary things ... If it doesn't get better sooner, that (surgery) would be the next thing to do. We're going to play it by ear.''