The Knicks have sorely missed the 2012-13 version of J.R. Smith during their 1-2 start, but their sixth man sees his five-game pot suspension as a blessing in disguise, giving him more time to shake off the rust from his knee rehab.
During Tuesday’s practice, Smith was the last one off the court, doing intense halfcourt and shooting drills while his teammates were in the locker room showering. Smith isn’t allowed in the arena during games.
After undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus and chipped patella tendon in mid-July, Smith played no basketball until October. He missed the entire preseason until the final game. His season debut will take place Sunday versus San Antonio, after he misses the home-and-home pair with Charlotte.
“It worked out kind of good, getting healthier, getting my mechanics down, focused on the knee getting to 100 percent as much as I can,’’ Smith said. “I’m trying to look at it in a positive way, getting more time to practice and prepare.‘’
Carmelo Anthony has looked like a lost puppy without Smith by his side. Smith has watched the three games at his home in Manhattan after being suspended under the NBA’s drug policy for failing three marijuana tests.
“I’m home, watching, observing, waiting for my turn,’’ Smith said. “I definitely see how much they missed me, but I’m just one person. It’s still a collective team effort and we’re just turning the ball over too much.’’
Mike Woodson has talked about starting Smith this season at shooting guard, but it appears likely he will at the outset come off the bench in last season’s role. So far, rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. has filled Smith’s sixth-man role.
“I’m ready. Whenever coach calls my name Sunday, I’ll be ready,’’ Smith said. “I wanted to play game 1, but unfortunately had to sit it out.’’
The NBA was slated to have an independent doctor examine Smith before the season opener to ensure he was healthy so the clock could start ticking on his suspension. However, Smith played the preseason finale and the NBA decided to “waive’’ the physical, according to Smith.
Though the big frontcourt starting lineup is 0-2, Woodson said he will go with Andrea Bargnani for a third straight game as starting power forward. The Knicks fell behind the Timberwolves 40-19 after the first quarter Sunday night. Bargnani left for Hardaway with 4:29 left in the period and the Knicks down just five.
“I can’t blame it on Andrea,’’ Woodson said. “I think that lineup, he’s getting more comfortable. We just haven’t played him a lot of minutes. Maybe I’m hardheaded but I want to see what it looks like.’’
On Tuesday night, ESPN will debut its “30 for 30” documentary, “The Bernie and Ernie Show,’’ profiling the all-New York tandem of Hall of Famer Bernard King and Ernie Grunfeld, both former Knicks who first teamed up at the University of Tennessee. The documentary depicts the racial bigotry King endured in college which he never shared with Grunfeld. The duo combined for 50 points per game for the Vols on their way to a spot on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
MSG Network will debut a new season of its “Beginnings’’ series with a look at Raymond Felton Tuesday at 11 p.m. … The Bobcats are coached by former Knicks assistant Steve Clifford, Adelphi’s former coach. Knicks legend Patrick Ewing is one of his assistants.