Updates
Wed, Jan 14th 2009, 11:12
JO out tonight, questionable for Friday's return to Indiana
The Raptors will likely be without two starters for at least two more games and one big homecoming may be ruined.
Jermaine O’Neal and Jose Calderon are not expected play in either of Toronto’s next two games – tonight at home against Chicago and Friday in Indianapolis – because of knee and hamstring injuries, respectively, that have sidelined them for most of this month.
For O’Neal, missing the next two games would make it 10 and counting that he’ll sit out after suffering what the team’s calling a “bruised knee” in a Dec. 29 game against Golden State.
And sitting out Friday would keep him out of what would surely have been an emotional return to Indiana, where he played eight seasons before being obtained by Toronto in a July trade.
Calderon originally strained his right hamstring in a game against Houston on Jan. 2 and made one aborted attempt at returning against Boston last Sunday. However, the injury hadn’t fully healed and he’s taking extra precaution about coming back too early.
There is hope, however slim, that O’Neal could return on Friday, coach Jay Triano said this morning.
“He’s kind of day-to-day, he’s working out on a regular basis and if he starts to feel better, he can get a couple of good practices in,” Triano said after the team’s shootaround. “You don’t want to throw a guy out there who hasn’t had a chance to practice. He’s going to have to get a couple of good practices in, or at least one, and see how his knee reacts to that. Then we’ll find out whether he can go or not.”
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