TORONTO (AP) -Forward Jermaine O’Neal was in Toronto’s starting lineup for the Raptors’ game Sunday against the Boston Celtics despite a strained left knee.
He was injured in the fourth quarter of Friday’s loss to New Jersey when he was pulled down by Nets forward Sean Williams as he went up for a shot under the basket.
O’Neal fell back awkwardly, injuring his surgically repaired knee. He lay on the court for a minute, then walked gingerly to the bench. O’Neal returned after a timeout but missed both free throws, then left the game and went to a local hospital for tests.
There was no structural damage, but O’Neal did not practice Saturday.
He is averaging 12.9 points and 9.3 rebounds this season after missing 40 games last season because of lingering pain from a torn ligament in his left knee that was surgically repaired the previous summer.
He joined Toronto in an offseason trade that sent guard T.J. Ford to Indiana.
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