Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph has been cleared to begin non-contact basketball drills on the court, keeping him on pace to return in early March.

Team doctors performed a third and final magnetic resonance imaging examination on Randolph’s right knee Monday morning. The MRI results showed more healing as Randolph recovers from a torn right medial collateral ligament.

That Randolph continues to make significant progress means it’s more likely that he could be cleared for full-contact workouts in the eight-week window originally diagnosed. Although the Griz haven’t yet set a target date, it’s possible Randolph could return March 7 at Golden State.

via Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal