ROSTER
SF/PF Carmelo Anthony: No more excuses after coming to first full Knicks training camp in great shape following Olympics, vowing to do more than just score. Has to be as vibrant on defense as productive on offense for Knicks to be great, playing either forward position.
SG Ronnie Brewer: Returning from knee surgery, the former Bull must defend as replacement starter until Iman Shumpert gets back.
C Marcus Camby: Defensive backup big man, 38, loves being a Knick, but injury-prone nature already evident after he missed all of preseason with calf strain.
C Tyson Chandler: Reigning Defensive Player of the Year is defensive glue and leader on and off court. Has vowed to be more of an offensive factor and showed glimpses in preseason.
SF/PF Chris Copeland: May get minutes due to frontcourt injuries after winning big battle for 15th man by sparkling as reliable scorer (15.5 points in preseason) and live body.
PG Raymond Felton: Has made teammates forget about Jeremy Lin in a hurry, gaining immediate respect in preseason with his ball movement and 3-point shooting prowess. He’s in shape and willing to stand up to Anthony.
PG/SG Jason Kidd: Looks like he may be more valuable at SG early on and for his defense. Still the smartest player on the court at 39 and moves the rock.
SF/PF Steve Novak: When he’s banging in 3-pointers, the sharpshooting fan favorite electrifies the whole team and plays better D.
PG Pablo Prigioni: The 35-year-old Spanish League veteran playmaker looks like he’s been in NBA forever. He rarely makes a mistake and defends with heart.
SG/PG Iman Shumpert: First-team All-Rookie selection is recovering from offseason surgery to repair torn ACL. December return would be giant boost as his defensive energy is unmatched.
SG J.R. Smith: Lousy preseason as he first created too many waves by showing disappointment over Mike Woodson’s vision of him as Sixth Man then he developed Achilles soreness that limited him to just one preseason game.
PF Amar’e Stoudemire: Eagerly anticipated first full training camp with Anthony was derailed by bruised left knee, then ruptured cyst has him out at least six weeks. Never got a chance to show his new post moves. His health is key to Knicks having special season.
PF/C Kurt Thomas: Still plays D and hasn’t lost mid-range shooting touch at age 40, but best in small doses — not as emergency starter on injury-wrecked front line.
PF Rasheed Wallace: Volatile former Piston was so out of shape after two years of retirement, he missed all six preseason games. If he is in condition to move on defense and can avoid technical fouls, he will help because he can still make long-range shots.
SG James White: Hurt foot at end of preseason just as he was showing some of his renowned athleticism.
MIKE WOODSON’S 3 TOUGHEST DECISIONS
1. Figuring out starting 5 with Stoudemire out indefinitely
Woodson has two options: 1. Going big and replacing Amar’e Stoudemire with PF Kurt Thomas. 2. Going small and having eager Carmelo Anthony slide from 3 to the 4 to take advantage of mismatches while starting Jason Kidd and Ronnie Brewer in a 3-guard alignment.
2. Managing PG rotation at full strength
When shooting guard Iman Shumpert returns, Woodson will have to figure out how to make Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd and productive rookie Pablo Prigioni happy. It’s a good problem to have, but egos are at stake.
3. How to make Anthony and Stoudemire mesh
James Naismith and Red Auerbach may have been stumped on figuring out the Anthony-Stoudemire tandem. They now score in similar ways and both need the ball a lot to establish a rhythm. Separating the two may be something to explore.
FIVE BIG DATES TO WATCH
Nov. 1 at Nets: The Knicks’ first meeting in their neighboring borough against the revamped Nets is historic. Basketball bragging rights finally mean something.
Dec. 13 vs. Lakers: First chance to boo Steve Nash for spurning Knicks in July and going Hollywood.
Dec. 17 vs. Rockets: Early Christmas present for Knicks fans who still have a hankering for point guard Jeremy Lin. Even diehard Knicks fans probably would like to see Lin light things up on Broadway.
March 3 vs. Heat: Knicks should be fully healthy when defending champions make final visit to Garden before perhaps another playoff showdown. It’s a Sunday matinee, and LeBron James will be jacked up.
March 13 at Nuggets: Carmelo Anthony makes his first visit to Denver since trade with the chance to silence the boos that will greet him.
BY THE NUMBERS
31.25
Average age of Knicks’ 15-man roster, believed to be the second-oldest ever.
47
Number of games Amar’e Stoudemire played during 66-game lockout-shortened season. The fear is he won’t top that number during an 82-game schedule because he already is out at least six weeks with knee issues.
46%
Opponents’ shooting percentage during 3-3 preseason, third-worst in the league. Last season, buoyed by Woodson’s March promotion, Knicks opponents shot 44.2 percent. That ranked 10th in league and best for franchise since 2003-04.
11
Knicks finished both 11th in league in scoring average (97.8) and defense (94.7).
1973
Fortieth anniversary of Knicks’ last championship comes in June. It is the longest championship drought of the nine New York area teams other than Jets — even the Nets won an ABA title.