Knicks fall to Heat: Davis could play Tuesday
Injured Baron Davis of the New York Knicks looks on against the New Jersey Nets. (Dec. 21, 2011) Credit: Jim McIsaac
MIAMI -- Baron Davis didn't play in the Knicks' 99-89 loss to the Heat Friday night. He could make his Knicks debut Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, and his new team needs him badly.
It was the eighth loss in the last nine games for the Knicks (7-12), who shot 18-for-43 from three-point range. Bill Walker led the Knicks with 21 points off the bench, shooting 7-for-10 from behind the arc.
The Heat's Dwyane Wade returned after missing six games with a sprained ankle and had a brilliant performance with 28 points and five steals. LeBron James had 31 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
Davis, who has a herniated disc, was ruled out of the weekend games against the Heat on Friday night and the Rockets in Houston on Saturday night. Davis went through workouts Thursday and Friday, but he's not ready to play his first NBA game in more than nine months. "Still a little bit away," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "He still doesn't have a pop yet. We're going to wait until he's NBA-ready, and he's not quite there yet."
D'Antoni said "at the soonest," Tuesday could be Davis' first game. The Knicks host the Pistons that night, then play games on three straight nights beginning Thursday. Barring a setback, Davis should play at some point next week.
Fond memories of Miami
Tyson Chandler forgot about all the Knicks' losses and thought about the biggest win of his career the moment the team landed in Miami.
Chandler helped the Mavericks capture last season's NBA championship by beating the Heat in Game 6 here. "The last time I was here, we were celebrating," he said. "Good memories and good vibes."
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has plenty of memories of the series and what Chandler can do for a team. "Everybody knows about his defense," he said. "It's not because of his shot-blocking. It's because of his IQ and toughness. He reads situations. He communicates what you're doing as you're doing it. He's an anchor for that defense. He's always there to help. He's a terrific rebounder in traffic. But offensively, he's one of the very best pick-and-roll guys to the rim."
NY in rearview mirror
Heat center Eddy Curry had little to say about New York or his time with the Knicks. "I don't think about it," Curry said. "I kind of look at that as the past. This is where I am right now. This is what I'm focusing on right now." Injuries and conditioning issues led to his playing only 10 games in his final three seasons as a Knick.
Buzzer-beatersThe Knicks' game against the (Chris Paul-less) Hornets on Feb. 17 no longer will be televised on ESPN . . . D'Antoni on the Knicks' offensive struggles: "It's a make-and-miss league, and the miss part we got down pretty good."
