All indications are the Knicks not only will see the Pistons and the sights while in London, but Iman Shumpert as well.
Shumpert, who tore his left ACL and meniscus in the playoffs last April, could make his long-awaited season debut when the Knicks play in London on Thursday, coach Mike Woodson acknowledged yesterday.
“If I was playing or not, I was going to go to London. I don’t know if they knew that. I knew that,” joked Shumpert, whose perimeter defense will be a blessing for the recently defensively-challenged Knicks — “huge,” according to J.R. Smith. “It is a big step for me, them considering me playing against Detroit.”
Shumpert, who believes he “can relieve a little bit of the pressure as far as defensively being a presence… and just being an energy guy,” said he feels great, admits he is not yet in NBA shape and is clearly “excited” and “optimistic.” Coach Mike Woodson, who said Shumpert will not play with the D-League affiliate Erie BayHawks after all, wants his 6-foot-5 guard to go through hard practices tomorrow and in London.
“He’s been cleared,” Woodson said. “If we get the two practices in … and there’s no setbacks he’ll be cleared probably to play in the Detroit game.”
* Age and injury have not been kind to the Knicks this season, especially up front, as Marcus Camby and Rasheed Wallace have fallen to foot injuries. So former Net Kenyon Martin has been seen as a possible piece to the puzzle.
But Martin’s agent, Andy Miller, said there has been “no dialogue” with the Knicks.
* On the point guard front, Woodson admits he wants to cut back Jason Kidd’s minutes, “but I don’t have a choice at this point.” And though Raymond Felton (broken pinkie) has targeted a road trip upon the return from London, Woodson said, “The medical people hadn’t said that to me. That’s Ray just talking. I hope that’s the case. But I’m just taking it a day at a time with him.”
* The verbal war between Knicks forward Steve Novak and Bulls guard Nate Robinson continued yesterday on Twitter. Robinson fired back at Novak’s Friday postgame dig, a return salvo for Robinson for imitating the “discount double-check” move Novak uses for a 3-point basket.
So after Novak referred to “little Nathan” Friday, Robinson posted on @nate_robinson: “@stevenovak20 lol at ur comment … I forgot u invented that move u must play for the packers and ur name is Aaron Rodgers.” Robinson added a hashtag with a vulgarity and “clown.”