Tim Hardaway’s injury might be worse than first thought
Knicks forward Tim Hardaway Jr. reacts after being called for a foul against the Rockets, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017, in Houston. Credit: AP / Eric Christian Smith
INDIANAPOLIS — Tim Hardaway Jr. remained back in New York and underwent tests on his left leg, but the Knicks had no further updates.
Hardaway was diagnosed with a stress injury in his lower left leg Sunday and missed his second straight game Monday. Kristaps Porzingis also was out with a sprained right ankle.
“There’s concern with anybody when it’s an injury that might be longer than a game or two,” Jeff Hornacek said before the Knicks lost to the Pacers, 115-97, on Monday night. “He’s getting evaluated so we’ll find out more.”
It sounds as if Hardaway, the Knicks’ second-leading scorer, will miss far more than two games. Hornacek said he isn’t sure how long he’ll be out.
“Don’t know yet,” he said. “Just like with KP’s ankle, how ugly that looked, and we’re hoping to get him back in the next couple of games. Right now, we can’t say. We’re hoping it’s not too long.”
Porzingis, who also has been ill, didn’t make the trip. He stayed home to rest and get treatment on his ankle.
“I think he’s getting better,” Hornacek said. “The illness, we didn’t bring him on the trip so he didn’t spread that. So hopefully with the couple of days of rest that he got, he’ll be better. He says the ankle’s getting better.”
An MRI on Porzingis’ ankle revealed no structural damage. In Hardaway’s case, it doesn’t sound as promising.
“He’s a tough kid,” Hornacek said. “He’s had ankle sprains. He would play through those things. That’s a good attribute to have in a guy, a guy that goes out there and plays and plays through injuries. This could be wear-and-tear. We’ll find out more maybe tomorrow or the day after.”
Damyean Dotson earned his second straight start for Hardaway and Michael Beasley started in Porzingis’ place. Beasley scored 13 points and Dotson had nine points and seven rebounds.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
