Jermaine O'Neal is optimistic about his return to the court for the Indiana Pacers in the near future, according to the Indianapolis Star.

He met with doctors in New York over the weekend and it appears as though he could return to floor before the end of the regular season.

"It was great," O'Neal told the Star on Saturday. "Obviously there's a little bit more work to be done, but now I can start picking it up. The goal right now is to start practicing, and once I get to practicing, the next goal would be to play."

"It can be as long as three to four weeks or sooner depending on the progression. We've seen great strides in the last few days," he added.