NEW YORK (AP) — Kemba Walker was back in the starting lineup for the New York Knicks against Minnesota after missing nine games with a sore left knee.

Coach Tom Thibodeau said Walker would warm up before the game Tuesday to see if he was ready to play, and the Knicks announced about a half hour before the game that he was.

It was Walker’s first action since Dec. 29 at Detroit, after he played in both ends of back-to-back games and experienced pain in his knee, which has troubled him in recent seasons.

The point guard had regained his starting spot earlier in the month after falling out of Thibodeau’s rotation. He was voted Eastern Conference player of the week after scoring 44 points in a loss to Washington on Dec. 23 and recording a triple-double against Atlanta on Christmas.

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