Horford ‘anxious to get back playing’

Miami — Though he is rapidly recovering from a bone bruise in his right knee, Al Horford is still set to return to action around the middle of next week and not any earlier.

“I’m doing things now that I couldn’t do a week ago,” the Hawks center said before Monday’s game against Miami at American Airlines Arena. “Just shooting the ball and just doing some light running. The last thing is to get back to jumping off my leg. Once I do that I’ll be ready to go.”

When that is has been debated intensely over the past few days. Hawks coach Mike Woodson didn’t think Horford would make the trip here and to New York, for a game Wednesday against the Knicks.

But Horford was the first player on the Hawks’ charter flight after Sunday’s home loss to Phoenix.

Rather than staying in Atlanta to continue rehab, Woodson said the Hawks’ training staff wanted Horford with them so they could continue some “high-level” work that Horford’s been doing with Hawks’ assistant coach for player performance Pete Radulovic.

“We’ve waited this long,” Woodson said. “I think it’s only fair that we give him some time work in practice. And we’ll have Sunday, Monday and Tuesday before we take off for the Minnesota game [Feb.4]. Now that’s my thinking. He could try and change my mind before then. But I’m not listening.”

Horford, who has already missed nine straight games, said he’s ready to go whenever he’s allowed back on the floor.

“I’m anxious to get back playing,” Horford said. “And they keep telling me I have to be good. All I know is when I come back, I want to be back for good.”

Not giving up on Bibby

It’ll take more than a bad shooting night for Woodson to bail on Mike Bibby, who shot just 2-for-13 in Sunday’s loss to the Suns.

Woodson praised his point guard Monday, insisting Bibby has earned his way into the conversation for a reserve spot for next month’s All-Star game alongside Hawks captain and two-time All-Star Joe Johnson.

“He’s having one of his better years and he’s been useful for us and I think our players love playing with him,” Woodson said. “He’s scoring the ball, he’s assisting, people are open and he’s getting people the ball in areas where they can be effective. He’s been great for me. It’s the first time I’ve had a point guard than can run a ball club.”