PORTLAND, Ore. — Carmelo Anthony had fluid in his right knee drained yesterday in New York and will rejoin the Knicks today in Los Angeles.
While the Knicks listed him as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Clippers, coach Mike Woodson sounded as if it was unlikely Anthony would be ready for action the rest of the West Coast trip which ends Monday in Utah.
Meanwhile, center Tyson Chandler missed the Knicks’ 105-90 loss in Portland Thursday night with a bruised left knee suffered in Wednesday’s debacle in Denver, but he has a better chance of playing Sunday. The Knicks used a ragtag frontcourt of Chris Copeland, Kenyon Martin and former Blazer Kurt Thomas last night.
Woodson seemed in a good mood about the Anthony development despite its mysterious elements.
A leading orthopedist at Lenox Hill Hospital told The Post that often the fluid comes right back if there is cartilage damage involved. The Knicks still will not divulge the cause of the fluid buildup.
Earlier in the day during a radio interview, Woodson said he was “worried’’ about Anthony’s knee condition, but last night the Knicks coach said he felt better about the situation and it is not going to be a big issue for much longer.
“I was [worried], but I spoke to him after he got his knee drained and he felt pretty good about it, so I feel good,’’ Woodson said. “He’s going to be fine once we get him rehabbed and get him back on the floor, I think he is going to be OK.
“I feel good. He didn’t say when he’s going to be ready but I’m just assuming he’ll be ready soon. It wasn’t anything majorly wrong with it. We just got to nurse him back.’’
Chandler left the game in Wednesday’s second quarter and Woodson said the center is “day to day’’ and possibly can practice tomorrow.
Asked if Anthony would try to practice tomorrow, Woodson said: “It depends on how the knee responds.’’
Dr. Leon Popovitz told The Post the draining procedure didn’t have to keep Anthony out for more than a few days, but the club may want to use it as an excuse to give him some rest with the playoffs near.
“He should feel dramatically better, but the problem is the fluid may come back,” Popovitz said. “They may be trying to buy some time through the rest of the season and playoffs and maybe have a scope after the season.’’
The fluid, according to Popovitz, is an indicator of cartilage damage that may need arthroscopic surgery at season’s end. Anthony is not being treated by Popovitz. He had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee after the 2010-11 season.
“If anybody has fluid in the knee, that is in indication there’s something wrong inside the knee,’’ Dr. Popovitz said. “You don’t get fluid in the knee for no reason. The most common reason is damage to the cartilage. If the MRI exam showed no meniscus tear, they probably suspect damage to the articular cartilage, which is the lining of the bone.’’
Anthony’s knee swelling has bothered him for 3 1/2 weeks, but he put off the drainage procedure. Anthony flew home Thursday morning from Denver to New York after his awful 3-of-12, nine-point performance in his Denver homecoming. He was 7 of 27 in the two West Coast losses.
When enough articular cartilage falls off, the dreaded microfracture surgery is needed but Dr. Popovitz suspect it’s less serious because Anthony would be in more pain. Anthony said he’s just stiff and not in pain.
“The best way I can equate it is an eggshell cracking and flakes come off the lining of the bone or the flakes hang off the bone,’’ Dr. Popovitz said. “You don’t rush to do [microfracture] unless the cartilage damage has created a big hole in the lining of the bone. That’s probably not the case with Carmelo. But there is weakness in the knee from the swelling and he’s looked sluggish. If the symptoms persist, they’ll probably have to scope him after the season.’’
Woodson was asked what the real cause of the fluid buildup is.
“They didn’t find anything,’’ Woodson said. “They got it drained. They found fluid on his knee and they took it off.’’