The Knicks got point guard Raymond Felton back to reignite the offense. Now coach Mike Woodson is waiting on Rasheed Wallace to reenergize a defense that allowed the Hawks to shoot 60 percent Sunday at the Garden.
There have been false hopes before, but Wallace is expected to return to practice this week, according to Woodson.
The Knicks have missed the reserve 6-foot-11 power forward — especially his zeal, moxie and 3-point shot. They are a .500 team (10-10) since they shut down Wallace in mid-December because of a stress reaction in his left foot.
The weekend underscored the Knicks’ steady decline on defense. Sixers point guard Jrue Holiday and Hawks point guard Jeff Teague got to the rim with ease, with little help from any of the Knicks’ interior defenders.
The return of Wallace, a Woodson favorite, could adversely affect Amar’e Stoudemire’s minutes. Though Stoudemire showed explosiveness on offense the past three games, he is starting to regress on defense despite his vow to become an elite defender. In the win over the Hawks, Stoudemire lost his man repeatedly.
Wallace breathes defense and is the Knicks’ best communicator. Woodson can’t wait for Wallace’s return, which has been postponed repeatedly by a cautious Knicks medical staff led by Dr. Lisa Callahan. Woodson predicted during Christmas Week that Wallace could be back on Jan. 1, but that did not happen. One school of thought is Dr. Callahan realizes Wallace has only so many games left in his foot, and the Knicks would rather have them down the stretch and in the playoffs than in January.
Woodson said Wallace would have been able to play Saturday against the Sixers if it were a playoff contest. That squashed the notion Wallace may not come back at all. In fact, Woodson said Wallace is closer to returning than Marcus Camby (plantar fasciitis).
One Detroit source said Wallace had foot problems during his time with the Pistons, but often played through the pain. The Pistons termed the injury a strained left arch. Wallace said last month he had “reaggravated an old injury.’’
The Post has reported the Knicks fear Wallace’s stress reaction will turn into a season-ending stress fracture if he returns too soon. They have said the rumor Wallace already has a stress fracture is “erroneous.’’
Wallace has scoffed at the report he may not return, and said he wasn’t going to let “a little sore foot’’ derail his comeback from a two-year retirement. Wallace otherwise has been mum on the injury. He has not asked for a second opinion.
One person familiar with the situation said Woodson wanted Wallace on the squad for his “leadership qualities.’’
“It’s an attitudinal thing, not stats,’’ the source said.
Stoudemire’s offensive stats are on the rise. His new post game and old dunking prowess have been on display of late. He is averaging 12.6 points on 52.1 percent shooting and 4.3 rebounds in 22.4 minutes. But in the past five games, he is averaging 17 points on 61.4 percent shooting. The Knicks are 6-6 since he returned from knee surgery.
Woodson has treated Stoudemire with kid gloves. He doesn’t want to criticize his defensive shortcomings, realizing Stoudemire has made an effort to improve, always asking questions during practice.
“He’s just active the last four, five games,’’ Woodson said of Stoudemire’s explosiveness around the rim. “He’s got to continue to ride it. He’s trying to do the right things on defense. It’s very encouraging.’’
On the radio yesterday, Woodson said: “[Stoudemire is] growing [on defense]. That’s all I can tell you. He’s more engaged and in tune to what we want done, especially on defense.”
However, Stoudemire does not seem destined to return to the starting lineup. Carmelo Anthony is viewed as the starting power forward, though Woodson said on the radio he wants to move toward playing Stoudemire, Anthony and Tyson Chandler together.
Unless Mike D’Antoni’s Lakers want Stoudemire in exchange for Pau Gasol, it would be almost impossible to deal Stoudemire’s $20 million wage at next month’s trade deadline because of salary-cap rules.
A perennial injury risk, Stoudemire likely will be shopped this summer, when he will have two years and $45 million left on his uninsured deal. The following summer, Stoudemire’s deal would be viewed as an expiring contract.
Woodson is staunch about sticking with combo guard Iman Shumpert as a starter despite his rust after being out nine months, but Jason Kidd’s back woes put into question what form the Knicks’ smallball alignment will take. On Sunday, James White started the second half for the ailing Kidd, playing with Felton and Shumpert. That may be the lineup against the Magic tomorrow, when the Knicks continue their five-game homestand.