Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Editor's Picks
Editor's PicksSports

Lakers’ Metta World Peace Expected to Return Tuesday

Posted byBy Jacobi Eaves | Published on: CommentsComments (1)

Just 12 days after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace is expected to return to the starting lineup Tuesday night when the Lakers take on the New Orleans Hornets.

World Peace, who was supposed to be sidelined for at least six weeks, participated in a three-on-three scrimmage at practice Monday and appeared to be healthy.

“We’ve got a chance to make a push for this championship,” World Peace told reporters after practice. “We all need it. All the guys under contract, injured or not injured, we need each other to make a run at this thing.”

With just five games left to secure the final playoff spot, the Lakers (40-37) trail the Utah Jazz (41-37) for the eighth postseason spot in the Western Conference. Every game is important for the Lakers to win as the Jazz hold the tie breaker.

“He’s good,” Lakers coach Mike D’ Antoni said. “It’s probably a game time decision, but he looks good. He’s raring to go. The medical staff will make a decision tomorrow. It’s unbelievable. He’s different. … I’ve never seen this before.”

World Peace began his rehabilitation last week, running and shooting with the team Saturday and before Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers. He said he was ready to play last Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks, but  he was not cleared by team doctors.

World Peace injured his knee in the first half of the Lakers’ 109-103 loss to the Golden State Warriors on March 25. This is the first ever knee injury for the Lakers defensive stopper, who tweeted that his recovery time would take a week and half.

“Right after the surgery, they were amazed how the swelling didn’t even exist off of meniscus surgery,” World Peace said. “You can play, but the swelling is what keeps you from playing, so when I didn’t have any swelling that’s why I was pushing to play. I wanted to play three games ago. It was good teamwork with doctors and training staff.”

With the return of World Peace to the Lakers lineup, the team will still be without point guard Steve Nash. Nash will miss his fourth consecutive game because of a hip injury, but is expected to return to the lineup on Friday when the Lakers play the Warriors.

Independent journalism doesn't fund itself.

We hope this story was worth your time. For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed Black-owned and independently run. We didn't get here by waiting on ad budgets that were never built to prioritize us. Our readers did that.

Corporate support for Black media has always been thin. Outlets like ours get roughly 1% of the $170 billion spent on U.S. advertising each year, and that margin is shrinking further as advertisers walk back the DEI-linked commitments they made in 2020. That's the backdrop. It's not why we're asking.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Give once Give monthly Support another way

Related Stories

Back to top