Knicks lose rookie Shumpert to MCL sprain
Iman Shumpert #21 of the New York Knicks in action against the New Jersey Nets during their pre season game on December 21 2011 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Knicks' backcourt got a little thinner Sunday when rookie Iman Shumpert was helped off the court in the third quarter of his first NBA game with a sprained MCL in his right knee.
"I don't know anything now, but I will know more [Monday]. I just have to be tough mentally," Shumpert said after the Knicks' season-opening 106-104 victory over the Celtics at Madison Square Garden. "These guys are telling me it's a long season with bumps in the road. I just have to get through it."
Boston's Chris Wilcox fell and banged against Shumpert's knee with a little more than a minute left in the third quarter. The former Georgia Tech standout is expected to miss two to four weeks, according to the Knicks.
Baron Davis will be out about two months with a herniated disc in his back and Mike Bibby did not play Sunday because of a back injury, but Knicks point guard Toney Douglas is confident the team can adjust to the loss of another guard.
"I don't see it as pressure. We just have to step it up, that's all," he said. "I hate to see him go down, but at the same time, we have to . . . keep grinding."
Douglas had 19 points and four assists in 35:04. Shumpert had 11 points in 22:02 before the injury.
Landry Fields, expected to be pushed for minutes by Shumpert, also is confident the Knicks will pick up the slack. "We just have to maintain. We just have to continue to hustle and play hard," said Fields, who had seven points in 33:52. "That's what he does. If he's out, he'll be missed, definitely."
Jared Jeffries also was added to the list of the Knicks' walking wounded. The 6-11 forward injured his right calf in the second half and is expected to miss one to two weeks.
The Knicks' injury situation is going to force coach Mike D'Antoni to dig deep into his bench.
"It gives somebody else a chance," D'Antoni said. "We have other guys. [Steve] Novak didn't play Sunday. He'll play. We can use Josh Harrellson more. Mike Bibby will definitely be back, so he'll be able to relieve Toney. That's what the guys are there for. We'll just play them a little bit more and get these guys back as soon as we can."
