THE SIMPLE things like regaining his shooting touch and the feel for the game will come easily, "like riding a bike," the Sixers' Jason Smith said.

Interesting choice of words. Smith tore the ACL in his left knee in August last year while working out, causing him to miss all of his second season. The rehab was grueling, and it was one exercise in particular that Smith recalls.

"About a week or so after the surgery, they put me on a stationary bike," said the 7-foot forward/center. "My knee was still swollen and very tender, but they put me on the bike and told me to pedal. When I first tried, I could only move the pedal a very little bit. It was so frustrating. Gradually I could do a little more as I worked on it, then one day - and I'll never forget it - I was able to make one full revolution with the pedal. It sounds so insignificant, but man, I'll never forget that. It was cake after that."

It was a small step in the road to recovery, but as thsoe who have ever had to rehab a serious injury know, that's what keeps you sane during all the sweat and frustration.

"I remember them asking me to do things and I would say, 'You want me to do what? I don't think I can do that,' " he said. "But you progress mentally to say that you are going to do this, no matter how hard it is, no matter how much it hurts you just have to tough it out."

Smith was on the court for the second day of training camp at Saint Joseph's for yesterday morning's 3 1/2-hour session. He reported no ill effects from the two practices on opening day and is quickly getting himself back to normal.

"Tearing an ACL, it's definitely something you don't want to go through in your lifetime," said the affable Smith. "But it happened to me and there's nothing I can do about it. It's a bump in the road and I feel I've overcome it.

"The worst injury I'd ever had is ankle sprains here and there, but nothing like this, nothing to this severity."

After being acquired by the Sixers on the night of the 2007 draft in a trade with Miami, which selected the former Colorado State star with the 20th pick, Smith had a productive rookie season, averaging 4.5 points and 3 rebounds in nearly 15 minutes a game. He showed good court awareness and proved to be a good shooter from 10 to 15 feet. That skill will go a long way with new coach Eddie Jordan and his Princeton offense.

"I haven't played with Jason much, but he's playing great," said Elton Brand, himself recovering from injuries. "I didn't know he was as tough as he was and how athletic he is. He can hit the open jumper, and I see him getting a lot of productive minutes for us. Being able to hit that 'J,' that goes a long way in this offense."

While the shooting and the ballhandling and other natural aspects of the game are coming back to Smith at a good clip, there is one part of the game that he couldn't adjust to during his offseason workouts.

"During the summer, I was playing with high school and college kids, you know, just getting back into shape," he said. "The one thing that I'm getting used to now is the physical part of it."

He recalled a play in practice when he and Brand bumped heavily going for a rebound.

"I have to get used to taking a pounding from a future Hall of Famer," he said of Brand. "But that will prepare me for the pounding of the season."