National Basketball Association

Wizards' Howard misses game with sore left knee

Published Jan. 1, 2011 6:36 p.m. ET

foxsports

Washington Wizards' swingman Josh Howard, who missed nearly 10 months after surgery on a torn ligament in his left knee, will miss Saturday's game against New Orleans with soreness in the same knee.

Howard originally injured the knee in just his fourth game with Washington on Feb. 22 after being acquired from Dallas. He returned on Dec. 18 and played seven games, averaging 9 points.

Coach Flip Saunders said that the rest for Howard, who left Friday's game in Indianapolis, was precautionary.

Saunders said Howard had been working hard rehabbing the knee. The coach also said that guard Kirk Hinrich would miss his second straight game with a bruised left thigh. Hinrich had been the only Wizard to play in the team's first 30 games.