Speedy comeback expected for Carter Raps star should return next week from leg injury Bosh in uniform tonight; Palacio set to begin practice DOUG SMITH SPORTS REPORTER ATLANTA—It's not a knee nor a tendon, nothing too serious as it turns out, and the Raptors may have their leading scorer back by next week. Vince Carter, whose every bump and bruise is cause for major consternation, is being listed as day-to-day after suffering a "strained right quadriceps" in Thursday's overtime win over the New Orleans Hornets. It's highly unlikely that Carter, who averages 21.8 points per game, will be in uniform to meet the Hawks tonight, but he could return to action Monday afternoon against Lenny Wilkens and the Knicks in New York. If he's not ready by then, the Raptors next play Wednesday at home against Minnesota and Friday in Milwaukee. Carter was examined by doctors yesterday and will see Toronto team physicians when the Raptors return home Monday night after their Martin Luther King Day matinee performance at Madison Square Garden. But just as they lose one key component, the Raptors will get one back and the return of yet another injured player is on the horizon. Chris Bosh, who has missed four games with a strained knee, will be in uniform tonight and Milt Palacio, recovering from a minor break in his left wrist, is expected to begin full contact practice tomorrow in New York and could play as soon as Monday. Morris Peterson, who suffered a sprained ankle on Wednesday but was a key component of Thursday's win, will start in Carter's place. Despite his sometimes up and down play, the simple fact is Carter is the pivotal member of the Raptor offence. No matter how he is playing on any particular night, he draws double teams every time he touches the ball, which allows the likes of Donyell Marshall and Peterson to find themselves unguarded in the corners. One thing Peterson has provided in the last week or so is excellent perimeter defence, something that he's not usually known for. He completely locked up Baron Davis of the Hornets on Thursday, forcing the point guard into a series of increasingly bad three-point attempts. And Peterson had held Detroit's Tayshaun Prince in check for most of Tuesday night's game before the Raptor swingman sprained his ankle in the fourth quarter. "I thought Morris, in maybe his last three games, has played his best string of games for us in the year," said O'Neill. Carter's absence will also mean some playing time for seldom-used forward Lamond Murray, who played his first significant minutes in 20 games Thursday. While he wasn't effective from the field, making just one of eight shots, Murray didn't look out of place, or shape. "I've said this all along, when he came out and said he wanted to be traded and throughout all that, he kept putting in his work with Shawn (Brown, the team's strength coach) in the weight room, he kept getting his shots up, he kept himself in professional shape," said O'Neill. "He's a 10-year vet and some vets would have said to heck with it, some young players would have really said to heck with it, but (last night) when we called on him, he was ready. Now, with our injury situation ... he'll be in the rotation." Carter was injured about four minutes into the first quarter, falling to the court after trying to complete a dunk. He said his leg "wouldn't budge" when he took off and he spent the rest of the game being treated in the locker room. Carter, who'll turn 27 next week, has missed 68 of 246 regular season games over the last three seasons with a variety of knee and quadriceps ailments. His longest stretch without playing was 23 games from early December, 2002 to late January, 2003. The Raptors went 3-20 without him. He missed 39 games last season, 22 the season before and seven in the 2000-01 season. He also sat out all five playoff games in April, 2002 as the Raptors were eliminated in the first round by Detroit.
can't wait to see the knick game gonna skip skool to see it VC wel get 40 pts and raps blow out Lenny and da knicks
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