HARTFORD — Amar’e Stoudemire missed his second straight preseason game last night with a bruised left knee and didn’t even make the bus trip. J.R. Smith, meanwhile, joined the wounded contingent, sitting out the Knicks 98-95 overtime victory over the Celtics with a sprained ankle.
The Knicks will be off today for the first time since camp began Oct. 1, and Stoudemire will be re-evaluated tomorrow. But he already has missed one-third of their six preseason games.
“We’re not rushing anybody,’’ coach Mike Woodson said. “He was feeling pretty good. I thought we’d evaluate him Monday and see where he is and hopefully he’ll be ready to go [this] week.’’
It was a no-brainer if Stoudemire still had knee swelling because the Knicks don’t play again until Friday in Montreal. Stoudemire’s right knee was the one that underwent microfracture surgery, the reason his contract is not insured.
Meanwhile, Woodson wouldn’t say if Marcus Camby (calf strain) will return to practice this week as his timetable would suggest. Their starting shooting guard, Ronnie Brewer still hasn’t practiced — let alone Iman Shumpert (ACL).
Last night, James White, free-agent signee in July, started at guard. He was excelling before hurting his hamstring last week.
* With Carmelo Anthony sitting out the fourth and overtime, Chris Copeland, trying to make the team, led a final surge. He scored 18 of his 21 points against the Celtics’ subs in the fourth and OT and blocked a shot in the final seconds of the extra session as the Knicks hung on.
The Knicks kept Jason Kidd, Pablo Prigioni and Steve Novak in the game in the fourth and OT.
The Knicks returned to earth from the 3-point line after their 18-of-33 explosion in the preseason opener in Washington. They finished 3 of 27 overall. Novak, who was 7-of-7 from the 3-point line in the preseason opener, was 1 of 6. Tyson Chandler finished with 16 points, including 3 alley-oop dunks.