Pau Gasol has started to run on a treadmill and is now considered most likely to return to action on Dec. 22 against the Golden State Warriors, multiple sources reported on Friday.

Pau Gasol said he has over 3 days gotten basically pain-free in his knees on treadmill work. Tomorrow he will ... sulia.com/c/la-lakers/f/…— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) December 14, 2012

Gasol has been out since Dec. 4 with tendinitis in his knee and in his absence, the Lakers have struggled with a 1-5 record. The Lakers big man is struggling as well, averaging a career low 12.6 points per game. If Gasol returns by Dec. 22 he will have missed nine games due to tendinitis.

His return can only help the Lakers, who are currently stuck in a four-game losing streak with the next two games on the road. The Lakers are just 2-8 on the road this season.

The 32-year-old Gasol has career averages of 18.5 points and 9.2 rebounds a game. His health has sometimes been a question mark over his career, as he has missed 10 or more games four years of the past 11 years.