AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Toney Douglas’ surgically repaired shoulder is now a big issue.
A combination of poor play and a lingering right-shoulder pain has cost Douglas his starting point-guard job. He was to the bench last night with rookie Iman Shumpert making his first career start against the Pistons and only played 5:43 because of his sore shoulder. Douglas was 0-for-3 in the Knicks’ 103-80 win and 0-for-8 on the trip.
Douglas got benched Friday in Washington, played just 12 minutes and was horrifying, missing all five shots, failing to notch an assist and going scoreless. Douglas had major shoulder surgery in the offseason, repairing a torn labrum and didn’t get fully back to health until November during the lockout.
Mike D’Antoni and Douglas finally acknowledged everything isn’t perfect with the shoulder. Douglas had a wrapped boulder of ice applied to his shoulder after the morning shootaround at Washington’s Verizon Center.
“I don’t like to use excuses,” Douglas said after the Knicks’ 99-96 victory Friday night. “I’m not that type of person. I’m out there on the floor just like last year when I played through it. I come on the floor. I’m on the court no matter what.’’
D’Antoni is taking a low-key approach to the point-guard change.
“We’re trying to get him [Douglas] more comfortable,” he said. “He did have an operation in the offseason, didn’t play until November. He’s still lingering a bit. When you have an operation, it takes a little time to come back. So it’s no panic on anyone’s part.’’
Shumpert started the second half for Douglas in Washington. When Douglas got reinserted in the third, Washington’s John Wall went off again on the Knicks.
Last night’s move was a no-brainer. “He’s played well, this looked better [Friday] night,’’ D’Antoni said. “We’ll look a bit and see what happens.’’
Douglas played much of last season with a bad shoulder and back but toughed it out to play in 81 games and all four playoff games. Douglas hurt himself further against Boston but played while Chauncey Billups injured his knee and didn’t.