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Erildas Budraitis: Linas Kleiza is back in the U.S. for the final tests before starting working out normally (via Robertas Petrauskas) #Raptors #NBA Twitter

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Injuries, Lithuania 

Kleiza doesn't say no to Lietuvos Rytas and Zalgiris "When everything is alright, we'll see in which Lithuanian team I will play. Of course, if they need me. If not, I would have to go to Toronto. Maybe they will let me join them because they own me a lot of money," Kleiza laughs. BasketNews.lt

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Lockout, Lithuania, Zalgiris Kaunas 

26-year-old Toronto Raptors forward Linas Kleiza, who cannot play basketball at the moment due to leg injury, will play himself in the new Lithuanian TV series about teenagers’ social problems, Lithuanian media reports. “It is a pleasure to be with partners and producers like Rolandas Skaisgirys and TV3. We have prepared a lot of great social projects. There is a lot of problems with children; people are running away from this country because there is a lack of leaders. What we have to do? We have to be proud that we are Lithuanians, and not only if we talk about basketball.” Kleiza said. Mirosport News

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Lithuania 

Greece? You’ll find legitimate NBA players considering Somalia before they entertain offers from the only two teams in Greece that can be players in the game: Olympiakos and Panathinaikos. Those two teams were a combined 57-5 in league play last season. The third place team was 16-10. “It’s ironic,’’ says agent Marc Cornstein of Pinnacle Hoops, who has extensive experience placing players in Europe. “(Olympiakos and Panathinaikos) were in the forefront with Childress and Kleiza. They were very aggressive in the past. But they are lagging because of the economic climate over there. It’s very quiet.” HoopsHype

Linas Kleiza, Josh Childress, Lockout, Greece, Marc Cornstein 

Has Cornstein heard anything about either Greek team making approaches to NBA players? “In a word – no,’’ he said. “It’s a shame, really. They were two of the biggest teams in Europe.” HoopsHype

Linas Kleiza, Josh Childress, Lockout, Greece, Marc Cornstein 

It’s also not as financially advantageous. The pro basketball players in Greece used to be taxed at a flat, 20 percent. Now, they are taxed the same as all Greek citizens and, for any highly-paid player, that means the tax would likely be 45 percent. HoopsHype

Linas Kleiza, Josh Childress, Lockout, Greece, Marc Cornstein 

Toronto forward Linas Kleiza on Saturday denied a Greek report that claimed he believes incompetence by Raptors medical officials contributed to why he last Wednesday underwent season-ending right microfracture knee surgery. "I have no problems with Toronto's medical staff,'' Kleiza said in a phone interview with FanHouse from Vail, Colo., where he has remained since the surgery was performed by specialist Dr. Richard Steadman. FanHouse.com

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Injuries 

The report was by Sport25.gr, a Greek website in the nation where Kleiza played for Olympiakos for the 2009-10 season. Translated by TalkBasket.net, the report read in part that Kleiza "had been complaining to the Raptors' medical team for the past two months about excruciating pain in his right knee'' and that "the team's doctors ignored his pleas and insisted that it was nothing to worry about.'' FanHouse.com

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Injuries 

"I don't know where that came from,'' said Kleiza, who added that he didn't know about the report until being informed by FanHouse. "I haven't talked to anybody from Greece. ... I think everything was done (in an acceptable manner by Toronto's medical staff). I was talking to them all the time (about the knee injury).'' FanHouse.com

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Injuries 

Some pretty damning words are getting hurled the Toronto Raptors’ way from here on The Continent regarding Linas Kleiza’s devastating and prolonged injury. Talk Basket today maintains, through a couple of sources well-placed with the Raps, that Kleiza’s extended time on the disabled list is due almost entirely to the incompetence of the team’s medical staff who reportedly did not listen to their Lithuanian star as he complained of injury. Ball In Europe

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Injuries 

Local news media Sport24 of Greece, last season’s home for Kleiza as he played for Olympiacos, broke the story which Talk Basket later translated in part, explaining: “[Kleiza] had been complaining to Raptors’ medical team for the past two months about excruciating pain in his right knee. The team’s doctors ignored his pleas and insisted that it was nothing to worry about and that he should continue training at 100% and just go through some routine therapies until the pain is gone. Ball In Europe

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Injuries 

Toronto Raptors forward Linas Kleiza said he will be in Colorado for about another week after having microfracture surgery on his right knee that will keep him sidelined for up to a year. Kleiza said he initially suffered the knee injury during training camp and kept playing until it became too painful. “I will come back better and stronger from this,” he said. “There’s no doubt in my mind.” Yahoo! Sports

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Injuries 

The Toronto Raptors announced Thursday forward Linas Kleiza (LYNN-as CLAY-za) underwent arthroscopic surgery yesterday to address both a meniscal tear and chondral defect of his right knee. The surgery was performed by Dr. J. Richard Steadman in Vail, Colorado. Due to the nature of the microfracture procedure performed, the recovery time is expected to be nine to 12 months. Kleiza appeared in 39 games with 23 starts, averaging 11.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 26.5 minutes. He had six games of 20 or more points, including a season-best 26 December 10 versus Denver and December 19 versus the Los Angeles Lakers. NBA.com

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Injuries 

Holly McKenzie: Linas Kleiza can speak English, Lithuanian, Russian and German. Makes me want to brush up on my Spanish again and break out some French. Twitter

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza 

Enter Linas Kleiza, who the Raptors signed to a four-year contract this summer. A year ago, after four seasons playing behind Carmelo Anthony in Denver and never averaging more than 24 minutes or eight shots per game, Kleiza was looking for a bigger role. He found it with Greek power Olympiakos. "It wasn't an easy decision, but it was the right decision at that time," Kleiza said. "I was looking an opportunity to grow on a team. They gave me that and I'm happy I did it." NBA.com

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Greece 

Again, Kleiza has no idea whether the same magic can be worked by the rag-tag bunch of Raptors that form this year’s team, but he is very much aware of how they can give themselves the best shot and it all starts with a team-first approach. “If it’s going to happen here, that’s what we need to have happen,” he said. “Looking back and forth they are two different stories (Lithuania at the worlds and the Raptors upcoming NBA season) but we kind of have a similar situation. If we come in here and don’t play that NBA-selfish basketball that tends to creep in sometimes, I think we can be OK.” Toronto Sun

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza 

Stars from Argentina, Lithuania, Serbia, Turkey and the USA have been recognised for their outstanding tournaments with the All Star Five for the 2010 FIBA World Championship announced following Sunday's final between Turkey and the USA. The All Star Five is made up of Luis Scola at centre, Linas Kleiza and Kevin Durant as forwards, and Hedo Turkoglu and Milos Teodosic in the guard positions. FIBA.com

Linas Kleiza, Kevin Durant, Hidayet Turkoglu, Luis Scola, Milos Teodosic, World Championship 

There were always questions about Kleiza's playing time in Denver at small forward because the starter there is Carmelo Anthony. The Nuggets felt pretty good in July that Anthony would get around to signing a three-year, $65 million contract extension that has been on the table since June. But now they don't feel as good. If Anthony ends up getting traded or bolts next summer as a free agent, Kleiza could have come in quite handy as a replacement. "I don't know, but we'll see," Kleiza said Tuesday when asked the Nuggets might regret not matching the offer sheet on him. FanHouse.com

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza 

Kleiza is a better player now. "I think I've changed my game," said Kleiza, averaging 19.5 points and 7.2 rebounds in Lithuania's six games while shooting 55.2 percent. "I'm doing way more things that what I did in Denver. I'm not that one-dimension player that was just shooting threes. I think the year that I invested in Europe really helped.'' FanHouse.com

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza 

"I'm very happy to be in Toronto," Kleiza said. "Right now, it's a great opportunity for me. But it's on me if I'm going to take advantage of it." One will see if Kleiza will have shaved by the time he dons a Raptors uniform. He said he began to wear a beard while playing Greece and, with Lithuania 6-0 at the Worlds, isn't planning on any trims until after the tournament. "I lived in Greece for a year so a close shave doesn't do it,'' Kleiza said. "You got to grow it out a little bit." FanHouse.com

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza