Miami Heat’s Greg Oden’s knees are ‘fine’

For the first time since December 5, 2009, Miami Heat center Greg Oden played in a basketball game Wednesday night.

Although the Heat were defeated  by the Washington Wizards 114-97, after all of the time Oden has missed, his debut was obviously a big deal (and he even dunked in the game – you can see the dunk here).

One day later, Oden, who has had his career derailed by knee injuries, was asked how his knees felt.

“It’s nothing I can’t manage,” Oden said Thursday of the minor soreness he attributed to general wear and tear from playing in a game via Michael Wallace of ESPN.com. “I’m just looking forward to playing in the next game. I got to play in a game. That’s what it really is, when you’re able to battle and be out there. I would have loved for us to win and say I was able to give us a spark. But you just move onto the next game, and hope I can play.”

Oden finished with six points on two-of-three shooting and two rebounds in eight minutes.

The Heat will be back on the court Friday night when they travel to Philadelphia to take on the 76ers.