NBA

Knicks in holding pattern on Martin while they wait for Wallace

INDIANAPOLIS — The Knicks could really use Kenyon Martin tonight.

Bruised, battered and suspended, the Knicks go into their contest in Indiana short on big men.

Carmelo Anthony is suspended, Rasheed Wallace is still out for another week with a sore left foot and coach Mike Woodson has been told he has to scale back on the minutes of power forward Amar’e Stoudemire because he developed soreness to his surgically repaired left knee after playing 28 minutes against Boston Monday night.

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A source said the Knicks have made a recent inquiry about the free-agent Martin but nothing is serious until they figure out if Wallace will be able to resume his season next week. Ironically, Wallace’s $1.4 million veteran minimum’s contract is officially guaranteed as the Knicks would have had to waive him by last night.

Since they chose not to make a bigger push for Martin, that means their belief is Wallace will be healthy soon. He has a stress reaction and the concern is it could develop into a stress fracture that would put him out two months. As it is, Wallace will miss his 12th consecutive game tonight. Woodson said Wallace will begin running and practicing next week, so his return figures to be close.

Though the Knicks are waiting on Wallace, Martin could be a good insurance policy and is dying to rejoin three former Nuggets teammates, J.R. Smith, Marcus Camby and Anthony.

* The starting lineup tonight is unclear. Woodson could go with Jason Kidd, Ronnie Brewer, James White, Kurt Thomas and Tyson Chandler — the same alignment he went with on the West Coast when Carmelo Anthony went down with a knee injury.

Camby has been starting at power forward the past three games, but Woodson may need another mid-range shooter.

* Smith didn’t practice because of the 11 stitches he received near his eyebrow in a headbutt with Boston’s Avery Bradley in the final minute Monday night that caused him to bleed profusely. Woodson didn’t want to risk him getting hit as his stitches settle.

* Indiana legend Reggie Miller will call the game tonight for TNT when the Knicks face the Pacers.