Metta World Peace won't start for the Los Angeles Lakers, but he'll be available for coach Mike D'Antoni on Tuesday against the Hornets just 12 days after undergoing surgery on a torn meniscus, according to ESPN LA's Ramona Shelburne.
Metta World Peace injury: Lakers forward will play vs. Hornets
The Los Angeles Lakers will have Metta World Peace available on Tuesday against the New Orleans Hornets, only 12 days after the forward underwent knee surgery.
USA TODAY Sports
World Peace originally tweaked his knee on March 25 in a loss to the Golden State Warriors. It was determined that he required surgery, and though it is possible for players to return soon after the surgery, swelling in the knee generally keeps them sidelined for around six weeks, the forward told Shelburne.
“Right after surgery, they were amazed how the swelling didn’t even exist off of meniscus surgery,” World Peace said after Monday’s practice.
World Peace started running last week and wanted to play on Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks. But he had yet to be cleared by Lakers trainer Gary Vitti.
Without their starting small forward, the Lakers have won four of six games but remain a step behind the Utah Jazz for the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference. Utah is a half-game ahead of Los Angeles and has four games remaining to the Lakers' five. The Jazz hold the tiebreak over the Lakers should they finish the regular season with the same record.
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