SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A hobbled Carmelo Anthony missed his second straight game Friday night against the Kings because of inflammation in his left knee, saying ominously, “I could barely walk.’’
The Knicks are calling it a knee hyperextension that was suffered on Christmas against the Lakers and that no structural damage exists. Anthony said, however, he has pain and swelling.
No MRI exam is planned or has been taken and Anthony said the team’s medical staff did two “manual’ tests to rule out a tear.
The Knicks have a history of being vague about injuries.
“It feels better today than it did [Thursday]’’ Anthony said yesterday morning after getting treatment during the Knicks’ shootaround. “[Thuursday] I was barely able to bend my knee. Today I’m walking much better.’’
“It’s strained a little bit,’’ coach Mike Woodson said before the Knicks’ heartbreaking 106-105 loss to the Kings. “We’re being cautious about it.’’
Anthony missed his sixth game and would not guarantee a return Tuesday against Portland when the Knicks return home to the Garden. Woodson said he is “hoping” Anthony is back for the New Year’s Day game when Amar’e Stoudemire likely will make his season debut.
Anthony’s absence and the prolonged injury to Raymond Felton could mean Stoudemire comes back in a starting role.
“With an injury like that, I’m hoping [to return] the first,’’ Anthony said. “But I want to take it day by day. You miss one game in the NBA, it feels like it’s been a week. But the injury occurred Tuesday. It’s only been a couple of days. Give my knee a chance to settle down a little bit.’’
Anthony spoke to the media for the first time since Tuesday, saying his knee swelled up on the plane ride from Los Angeles to Phoenix. Marcus Camby fell on Anthony’s leg in the first half of that game, causing him to hop around in pain but he never left the contest.
“It wasn’t his fault,’’ Anthony said. “Somebody pushed him.
“I did it in the second quarter and I still played through the whole game,’’ Anthony said. ‘I didn’t think it was going to react the way it did. I got on the plane the next morning and it swelled up. I couldn’t bend my knee, extend my leg. It was hard for me to walk.’’
Anthony said he regrets staying in the Lakers game.
“I should’ve [come out],’’ Anthony said. “It was Christmas. Third quarter, at halftime, fourth quarter, it was nagging, bothering me.’’
Anthony barely touched the ball in the final minutes as Kobe Bryant led his club to victory. Anthony, who finished with 34 points, said he played through it “on adrenaline”.
Anthony said he has been cleared to bicycle and lift but not running or any activity on the court.
Woodson used the same ragtag lineup last night as he did in Phoenix Wednesday — Jason Kidd (16 points), Ronnie Brewer (zero points), James White (four points), Kurt Thomas (zero points) and Tyson Chandler (21 points, 18 rebounds). Not a collection of offensive gunners
Just when it appeared the Knicks would be whole again sometime in January for the very first time, all season Woodson is back to square one. Iman Shumpert could be back in mid-January.
“I’ve been thinking about that from Day 1, to gauge the team and see where we are,’’ Woodson said. “Until that happens I feel good about what we’ve assembled about our makeup. So when guys do get hurt I know I still can win. I’m not going to complain. I would complain if I didn’t have enough talent.’’
Rasheed Wallace participated in the morning shootaround and there’s a possibility of his return for Jan. 1 versus Portland. Wallace has a sore left foot, diagnosed as a stress reaction.