NBA

Knicks’ Rasheed set for return

Mike Woodson said Rasheed Wallace’s long-awaited return could come in the game after the All-Star break, but that’s the soonest Wallace will return.

Woodson thought Wallace would practice last week but that didn’t occur. Now he has ruled him out for any game prior to the All-Star break, which starts Feb. 14.

The Knicks’ first game after the break is Feb. 20 in Indiana. Wallace would have two straight practices leading into that game. He has been out since mid-December with a stress reaction in his left foot and the Knicks have said repeatedly rumors he has a fracture are “erroneous.’’

Woodson, who once pegged Wallace’s return for after the West Coast trip on Jan. 1, said the club will “for sure’’ have Wallace “back on the floor’’ after the break.

Woodson added he still doesn’t know about Marcus Camby’s return from a strained plantar fascia but it won’t be before the All-Star break. Camby has already been out since Jan. 10. His original timetable was 2-to-4 weeks but he will not make it back in that time frame.

* Dwyane Wade, captain of the Eastern skills competition team at All-Stars weekend, has given strong indications to Florida reporters his Marquette teammate, Steve Novak, will be named Thursday to the 3-point shooting contest and James “Flight’’ White to the Slam Dunk contest.

Novak (2 of 5 from 3-point land last night) will be in Houston for the union meeting to talk about Billy Hunter’s future. Novak is the Knicks’ player rep.

“It’s great. Having a guy like that on your side doesn’t hurt, right?’’ Novak said of Wade. “He’s a good friend and it’s just great having him go to bat for me, and hopefully it all works out.’’

With Brian Lewis