Arron Afflalo could make Knicks debut Wednesday against Hornets
New York Knicks guard Arron Afflalo (4) poses during media day at the MSG practice facility on Monday Sept. 28th, 2015. Credit: Andrew Theodorakis
TORONTO -- Arron Afflalo could make his Knicks debut Wednesday night in Charlotte.
Afflalo missed his eighth straight game Tuesday night because of a strained left hamstring. But he's hoping the Knicks' medical staff clears him to face the Hornets.
"I was told to say I would be maybe probable," Afflalo said. "We'll see how things shake out tomorrow. They told me they'll let me know tomorrow but to officially say I'm day-to-day."
When he was asked if he's day-to-day or probable, Afflalo laughed and said, "I don't know. Day-to-day. Day-to-day. But the day is coming fast."
Afflalo, who signed a two-year, $16-million deal to be the Knicks' starting shooting guard, suffered the injury in the preseason and aggravated it in the last exhibition game. The Knicks are being cautious because they don't want it to recur. "I think I'm pretty much there," he said. "It's just about the process of building up the endurance in my hamstring and making sure this time when I come back there's no going back out."
After Tuesday night, the Knicks' next game is Friday against the Cavaliers.
Pain in the neck
Carmelo Anthony had trouble turning his head at the morning shootaround. He said his neck was "a little stiff" from "a little stinger" he suffered in Sunday's win over the Lakers. When he was asked if it would keep him from playing, Anthony responded, "Hell no."
A new Melo?
Derek Fisher said Anthony, whose shooting percentage, shots per game and scoring average are below his career numbers while his assists are up, isn't getting enough credit for trying to adjust his game to get others involved.
"He's learning how to play with a lot of new teammates," Fisher said, "and I think it's understated how much of an effort he's making to play within the team framework and not just try to do his own thing.
"At some point we have to be OK with the fact that he doesn't have to shoot it every time for us to be successful. We want to become a really balanced team and I think he's buying into that."
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
