BALTIMORE — Metta World Peace didn’t travel with the Knicks to Baltimore, staying behind to rest his sprained left ankle.
World Peace took a tumble during Wednesday’s scrimmage and limped off the court to the locker room. The Knicks said later it was not serious, but it was serious enough for him to miss the trip and Thursday night’s preseason game against the Wizards at Baltimore Arena.
The Knicks are notorious for downplaying injuries. For starters, the Knicks didn’t want the ankle to swell up on the Baltimore flight.
“We just rested him,’’ coach Mike Woodson said after Thursday’s shootaround at Baltimore Arena. “He stayed behind for treatment. He could’ve played if he made the trip. [It’s] precautionary. They told me [Wednesday] it was minor. No sense of taking any chances.’’
World Peace has looked sharp during preseason and scrimmages, especially with his jump shot. But his defensive tenacity is how will make his mark on the club.
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On Wednesday night, Carmelo Anthony was at the recreational center named after him in East Baltimore, which he funded with a $1.5 million donation.
When a Baltimore radio reporter asked him whether he considers the city his hometown despite being born in Brooklyn, Anthony said, “Without a doubt. This is where I learned pretty much everything. I came at a young age and had to live life skills to know how to survive.’’
Anthony called Thursday night’s game – his first in Baltimore as a pro – “a dream.
“I never thought it would come through,’’ he said.
The exhibition is being staged on the 50th anniversary of the arena and the Baltimore Bullets’ entry into the NBA.
“For me it’s a different feeling, a different experience to know that I’ll be playing 10 minutes from where I grew up,’’ Anthony told the Baltimore Sun. “This will be one of those monumental events.’’