No end in sight

Supposedly finished by a knee injury, Miles is eager for new life with Celtics

Forward Darius Miles hasn't played in two years - he was officially placed on the ''career-ending injury'' list by Portland - but he says he's back at ''90-95 percent.'' (file/Don ryan/Associated Press)

WALTHAM - The odds appear to be stacked against Darius Miles. If Miles can make a successful comeback with the Celtics this season, he will be the first player to perform in the NBA after officially being diagnosed with a career-ending injury.

Tim Grover, for one, believes Miles is capable of returning.

"He is going to Boston a little sooner than we'd like," said Grover, a fitness specialist who has trained Michael Jordan and other stars from the Attack Athletics gym in Chicago. "But, from an explosiveness and quickness standpoint, he is 80-85 percent from where he used to be, and my guess is he should be back to 100 percent by Christmas."

Explosiveness and quickness are Miles's signature qualities. And Miles, who said he has completed the rehabilitation following surgery for a microfracture in his right knee, will have a chance to display those qualities when training camp opens Sept. 29.

"I've been past the rehab stage since June," Miles said. "I am ready to go, but I just need to get in better shape. It's about maintaining the strength in my legs and getting my timing. I'm excited and anxious and ready to go and play. I don't think my leg will ever be 100 percent again, but I feel like I'm 90-95 percent."

The Celtics signed Miles last month after he made a strong impression during two workout sessions at the HealthPoint facility. The decision was almost a no-brainer. If Miles plays more than 10 games, his $9.3 million annual salary will be picked up by the Portland Trail Blazers, fulfilling the terms of the NBA's career-ending injury policy. (However, those first 10 games will have to wait 10 games - the length of his suspension for violating the NBA's drug policy.)

Miles has not played an NBA game since April 15, 2006, his last field goal attempt a dunk in the final minutes of Portland's 86-81 loss to Golden State. Miles then spent nearly two years rehabbing his knee before the Trail Blazers waived him and announced a career-ending injury verdict April 14, the determination made by a medical examiner chosen by the NBA and the Players Association.

Miles then did what he has done each April since joining the NBA: He watched the playoffs on television. Then, he started looking in earnest for an opportunity.

"I've dreamed of this, but I never thought I would have a chance to play on a team with this much talent," said Miles, who will turn 27 Oct. 9. "I can't let myself relax. I want to stay on point, because this is my first time playing on a team that wins most of its games. The teams I've played on were going to lose most of their games, and we knew this before the season.

"I've never been in the playoffs, never been on a team with a winning record. It's almost scary, coming to a team that is supposed to win 60-some games every year, a team with so much history.

"Amazing. The first time I walked in, I felt the history. It's one of the few places that has banners up at their practice facility, and it's not just one banner, it's like 17.

"Everyone is always talking about championships, you see pictures of Red Auerbach and Bill Russell all around here. So, I am kind of just slowly taking everything in, staying real quiet. I don't want to disrespect anyone in this organization."

Full circle with Garnett
Miles's dream scenario also relates to Kevin Garnett, his boyhood idol. When Miles decided to leave high school in East St. Louis, Ill., for the NBA, he joined Garnett on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

"KG was my favorite player when I was in high school; he still is," Miles said. "They sent a private jet to take me from the West Coast to Minnesota. That was my first time meeting him, and for someone you look up to, to know your name and who you are, and get to talk to him, was great. I always patterned my game on his.

"Since I've been in the league, we've had our wars. When I was younger, I was real aggressive attacking the basket, and dunking was a statement. We had some high-level battles, but we play totally different positions."

Miles said he has been tailoring his workouts to fit a complementary role.

"My goal is to try to be a force off the bench, bring some type of different play and change the game," Miles said. "Hopefully, if Doc [Rivers] chooses to play me, I can do that.

"I just really want to be a part of this. I don't want to be stepping on anyone's toes, just be a real contributor, a sixth man like James Posey was, a player that kind of changes the game around when he goes in -like Posey did for this team."

Decision is made in Portland
Though Miles's career seemed to be bogging down with mediocre teams, his numbers were improving in Portland before he was injured 15 games into the 2005-06 season. Miles was averaging 18.2 points at that point in the season, then returned for the final 25 games and finished the season at 14.0 points per game.

After training with Robert Pound, who helped Jason Kidd and Amare Stoudemire recover from similar injuries, Miles nearly returned last season.

"A lot of players don't come back from microfractures," Miles said. "But the more people get it, the more we learn about rehabbing from it, and the more people come back from it.

"[Pound] knew it was going to be a long road and he asked me before we started, 'Do you really want to do this, because I don't want to waste my time?' There were two-a-days for eight straight months, and there were times when I didn't want to come.

"It's a long road and there were no guarantees. I try be loyal to my contract, the team was paying me to try to win a championship, and I felt I had to go and at least try to put the work in to be back on the court.

"It was a long two years. I felt I could have played last year, but that wasn't in the [Blazers'] plans. It was real frustrating. When you've been doing something so long, you kind of lose a love for it from not playing, then you go back to having so much love for it.

"I wish it could have been a better situation for both parties, but I've moved on and they have moved on, so I want to leave it in the past and forget about it, and try to win with this team.

"They made a decision on the career-ending injury, they made it for the organization, but I felt they didn't have my best interests at heart. I don't have to prove anything, because I always knew I had the skills to play at this level. But it did make me hungry and fired up. I really wanted to go to a great situation, if I did get another chance.

"So, now I'm here and it's truly a blessing to go from a career-ending injury to getting signed by the champions. A lot of people weren't expecting that. When [Celtics general manager] Danny Ainge gave me the chance, I knew this was where I wanted to be.

"Here, it's about the championship and bigger goals, instead of about one player. I'm only 26. I was watching these guys on TV a few years ago and now I have a chance to play with them."

Frank Dell'Apa can be reached at fdellapa@globe.com