Andrea Bargnani expected to make his season debut for Knicks against Clippers on Wednesday
Knicks' Andrea Bargnani goes up for a shot against Memphis Grizzlies' Kosta Koufos during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. (Dec. 21, 2013) Credit: AP
Carmelo Anthony wants to play in the All-Star Game at the Garden, but he isn't sure his left knee will allow him.
"I don't even know if I'll be here next week and we're talking about February," Anthony said Tuesday after the Knicks practiced at the Boys & Girls Club. "If everything goes well I plan to be there."
Anthony didn't take part in the contact part of practice. His knee felt sore Saturday in Sacramento and weak the next night in Portland, forcing him to sit out the second half.
He spent the past two days resting and getting treatment. Anthony plans to play Wednesday against the Clippers.
"I feel much better than I felt in Portland," he said. "That's not really saying much."
The picture Anthony continues to paint is it's only a matter of time before he either sits down for an extended period to rest his knee or has a procedure.
"There's different options," he said. "There's options on the table right now for me to look at it. I just wanted to know if it would get worse. They told me it won't get worse. It's just a matter of some days are better than others. I'm going to try and stick it out as much as possible, until I can't go no more.
"Right now I don't want to look at the options because some days are better than others. Some days I can get out there and I feel OK to go out there to play and perform. And some days even before the games I feel like I can't go out there and do it."
Anthony is expected to have additional help against the Clippers when the 5-28 Knicks try to end the year by snapping an eight-game losing streak.
Andrea Bargnani, who hasn't played yet because of hamstring and calf strains, practiced fully and is set to make his season debut on New Year's Eve. Derek Fisher said he wouldn't, but unless Bargnani has a setback he would play for the first time since tearing a ligament in his left elbow Jan. 22.
"I will do as much as I can to help out the team," Bargnani said. "Whatever coach wants me to do I'm going to be on the court and try to help the team."
Anthony, for one, is happy Bargnani is on the verge of playing for the depleted Knicks.
"Hell yeah," he said. "That's another body, man. Another body that we've been missing, another one of our threats that we have, another big that spaces the floor and shoots the ball and gives us some more opportunities -- I'm excited to see him back."
The Knicks have had just nine healthy players the past two games. Anthony wouldn't have tried to play against Portland if the Knicks were closer to full strength.
They'll still be without Amar'e Stoudemire (sore right knee), Iman Shumpert (dislocated left shoulder) and Cleanthony Early (knee surgery). The Knicks say J.R. Smith (left plantar fascia) and Samuel Dalembert (right ankle sprain) are questionable.
Stoudemire isn't sure he'll be able to play in the Knicks' first game back home on Friday against Detroit either.
"Long flights are never the best things for nursing an injury," Stoudemire said. "We'll see how it feels when I get back to New York."
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
