TORONTO -- Vince Carter could return to the Toronto Raptors' lineup as soon as Wednesday after being cleared to play by a doctor this weekend.

Carter has missed 10 games -- Toronto is 3-7 without him -- with a strained quadriceps tendon. He traveled to Alabama over the weekend for a checkup.

Carter, who was expected to miss a month, practiced Thursday and Friday.

The same injury forced the All-Star forward to miss five games two seasons ago and 22 games at the end of last season. He played his final game March 19, then had surgery the following week.

Carter played in the preseason and Toronto's first two games, saying he felt no pain. He was the team's leading scorer in those games, averaging 18 points and three rebounds in 36 minutes.

Carter was criticized last week for dancing on stage at a rap concert in Toronto while the Raptors were losing a game in Atlanta.