D'Antoni has high hopes for Douglas

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Toney Douglas doesn't have time for doubt and concern. He wakes up at dawn and arrives at MSG Training Center at 7 a.m. to work out before Knicks practice. He watches tape of himself and of other point guards while getting treatment on his surgically repaired shoulder.

Then he goes to work on being the unheralded starting point guard on one of the NBA's most heralded teams.

"I come in with a different attitude this year, mentally and physically ready,'' Douglas said after yesterday's practice. "And I'm ready to play.''

The Knicks sacrificed experience in Chauncey Billups, who was waived to make room for center Tyson Chandler. Billups' departure meant the promotion of Douglas as the starter, and Mike D'Antoni said that wasn't an overlooked result.

"Toney is a very determined young man,'' D'Antoni said. "One of the reasons why we can do this is that we saw what he did when he was out there by himself. He did a great job last year . . . We expect more of the same.''

D'Antoni was most impressed with a six-game stretch March 2-10 in which Douglas filled in for an injured Billups in the starting role. The Knicks won four of the six games and Douglas' production jumped to 16.8 points, 6.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game. He committed only 10 turnovers in the six games.

"That helped me a lot,'' the third-year guard said of the experience. "I wouldn't wish the injury on Chauncey, but me stepping in there and playing with Amar'e and Melo at a crucial moment really helped me. Also in the playoffs, though my shoulder was hurting. That experience helped.''

Billups did a great deal of mentoring in his short time with the Knicks, and veteran Mike Bibby, who was signed Sunday, said he will do the same with Douglas.

"I'm going to be in his ear,'' Bibby said. "I know he's young, so I'm going to help him as much as I can.''

Bibby, 33, is in his 14th NBA season and knows where he is at this point in his career. He signed with the Knicks because, he said, he always wanted to play in D'Antoni's guard-friendly offense. After he struggled with the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals last June, the belief was that Bibby, once one of the best three-point shooters and playmakers in the game, no longer was an effective player.

"We think he still has some gas left in the tank and he's a really smart, good-shooting point guard,'' D'Antoni said. "There's not many guys that can come off the bench as good as him. He knows his role and he's looking forward to it and then we'll see what happens. You never know what it will evolve into. We're just excited to have him.''

In yesterday's practice, Douglas worked with the starters and Bibby worked with the reserves. Right now, there is no competition for the starting position, though some might argue that's because the roster does not yet include an established starting point guard.

"That's people's opinion. I don't listen to none of that,'' Douglas said. "At the end of the day, it'll show on the court. That's how I am. My play will speak for itself.''