Those reports about the Clippers targeting a January 20th home date against Chicago for Blake Griffin's return from a fractured kneecap?

"It's the first we've heard of it," Clippers coach and general manager Mike Dunleavy said. "It seems pretty optimistic."

Griffin is still about a week away from being cleared for basketball-related activity -- things like running the floor 5-on-0 with teammates. These drills will give Griffin a chance to simulate the Clippers' sets at full speed with no contact or defenders. He'll be able to practice making cuts on his recovering left patella and generally get into the flow of the Clippers' offensive and defensive schemes.

"Once he gets to no contact on the court, now you're starting to get to closer to where you have an understanding of being able to play," Dunleavy said. "You go no-contact to contact to playing."

The sequence Dunleavy describes for Griffin is likely to take longer than one week. Griffin has been devouring Dunleavy's playbook since training camp, but translating what's on the page will require an adjustment period, even for a quick learner and natural athlete like Griffin. That jump from "no contact" to absorbing bumps by NBA defenders at full speed is a big one -- and the Clippers are proceeding cautiously with their prized rookie.