TUALATIN -- Damian Lillard on Tuesday took a step of progress in his rehabilitation from left foot plantar fasciitis, participating in extended portions of the Trail Blazers' morning practice in Tualatin.

The All-Star point guard said his foot was pain-free after the workout, but stopped short of declaring himself ready to return when the team hosts the Denver Nuggets Wednesday night at the Moda Center.

"I want to make sure I'm 100 percent ready to go," Lillard said. "I don't want to be out there feeling restricted or uncomfortable. When I feel that I'm ready to go, I'll play."

Lillard said he went through an individual workout before Tuesday's practice, then jumped into various parts of practice, including full-court shooting drills, live action defensive exercises and "a couple possessions" of full-court scrimmages. Lillard and the Blazers' medical staff closely monitored his involvement during the practice, deciding what exercises he could participate in and how often he could do so.

Lillard, who has been dealing with discomfort in his left heel for roughly four weeks, aggravated the injury Dec. 20 during a game at Miami and has missed the last four games. He said he would evaluate his foot Wednesday morning when he awakes -- to see how it responds to Tuesday's workout -- then test it again during the Blazers' morning shootaround and pregame workout.

The team on Tuesday night upgraded his status against the Nuggets to questionable. But, considering coach Terry Stotts said Lillard would likely have been held out of a game if the team played Tuesday, it seems unlikely the Blazers' leading scorer will play. Either way, he shouldn't be sidelined too much longer.

"The pain is gone," Lillard said. "It's just a little bit stiff. I've been so busy trying to take care of it and do the right stuff. I want to do as much (live action practice) as I can and be comfortable with it before I say, 'All right, I'm going to go play in a game.' Then I can't get out there and be myself. When I get out there, I want to be able to do what I do. Until that point, I won't be out there."

Lillard played in the first 275 games of his NBA career, so sitting out four games has been an adjustment. But it hasn't been all bad. Lillard has used the time on the sidelines to scout his teammates from a different perspective and he says he's gained valuable insight, taking particular note of where some teammates like the ball in certain sets and -- conversely -- picking up tendencies about what defenses have done to frustrate teammates. Lillard, who has been engaged and hands on during his absence, has not been bashful about offering tips and critiquing teammates during games.

He's been so involved, Lillard has earned a new nickname.

"Coach Lillard -- that's what they call me now," he said, laughing.

And how would one describe Coach Lillard?

"Coach Lillard is competitive, he's aggressive, he's a guy who understands the game," CJ McCollum said. "I know it's tough for him, being out, not being physically able to play. I think he's handled it well. He's done a great job of being engaged, overly engaged in terms of breaking down the film. And when I come out the game, I'm like, 'What did you see Dame, what did you see?' I think he's helping me a lot."

Added Stotts: "A lot of players find it difficult to be a leader when they're in street clothes. It's just not the same. But I think Damian is really comfortable in helping the guys on the team even though he's not out there with them. That's a credit to him. I've been around a lot of very good players that led while they were suited up, but when they weren't, they took a step back."

But Lillard is much more of an asset in uniform and Stotts and the Blazers are eager for him to step back on the court. At the very least, his increased activity on Tuesday indicates he's inching closer to a return

"I'll see how it feels when I get up in the morning, see how it feels when I go through shootaround and my pregame workout," Lillard said. "After all that stuff, I'll have a better feel for it."

--Joe Freeman | jfreeman@oregonian.com | 503-294-5183 | @BlazerFreeman