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The Knicks hope their preseason was not an omen of things to come.
Their October turned into a disaster — a natural disaster and an injury disaster. There is such uncertainty the Knicks cannot even say for sure they will open their season on time tomorrow in Brooklyn because of Hurricane Sandy’s destructive powers.
When the debris is cleared and the wind and water retreat to the oceans, the Knicks still feel sunny skies lie ahead in June.
But the abundant optimism that prevailed on Media Day on Oct. 1 isn’t flowing as rapidly — in the locker room or around the country. The final 15-man roster has an average age of 31.25, one of the highest of all time and the NBA’s oldest this season. Five players are over 35 years old. When Amar’e Stoudemire turns 30 in two weeks, they will carry eight players no longer in their roaring 20s. Age usually equals injuries.
“It’s always a work in progress whether you are favored to win a championship or not,” said 39-year-old Jason Kidd on the eve of the hurricane. “You have peaks and lows. It’s a matter of trying to be consistent.”
All the sweet plans of having a first full training camp under coach Mike Woodson to mold Carmelo Anthony and Stoudemire into a productive tandem on offense and defense crashed. Stoudemire played one preseason game and now is expected to miss at least the season’s first six weeks with a ruptured cyst behind his left knee. It seems it’s always something with Stoudemire.
Marcus Camby (calf strain) and Rasheed Wallace (out of shape) missed all six preseason games. J.R. Smith, Sixth Man extraordinaire, played just once because of a mysterious sore Achilles. And interim starting shooting guard Ronnie Brewer caught the last two games coming back from September knee surgery.
Iman Shumpert, meanwhile, is slated as the starting shooting guard when he returns, possibly as soon as December. But coming off a torn ACL and meniscus, there is no assurance he will be as electric as he was during his rookie season.
With the rotation intact, the Knicks and their big front line still could be extremely dangerous, a major threat to win the Atlantic Division and roll to the Eastern Conference finals against the favored Heat. But the smart money is they will never be whole.
Greg Anthony of NBATV said, “There is so much talk about the Lakers and Knicks, but the reality exists, they may not be the best in their own city.”
General manager Glen Grunwald knew to expect injuries because of the Knicks’ advanced age. It is why Grunwald kept adding players — with Brewer signed for insurance in August and Wallace as camp opened. They are built to withstand injuries, but they also are built to make a title run this year or perhaps face a massive breakup.
“It’s great to come in and see guys like Marcus, ’Sheed, STAT, Kurt [Thomas],” Anthony said. “All these guys can be put in a lot of roles. We definitely have depth.”
The Knicks also have a wicked veteran point-guard trio in Raymond Felton, Kidd and unsung Spanish Leaguer Pablo Prigioni, who brightened the dark preseason with his intelligence. Missing Jeremy Lin has become the least of the Knicks’ worries.
The Knicks, however, were considered championship material based on Stoudemire and his $100 million contract forming a superstar pairing with Anthony. Defensive center Tyson Chandler only broadened the starry nucleus.
Anthony still has a significant amount to prove as far as being an NBA champion. He may have to reinvent himself this season with Stoudemire’s murky injury status, become grittier and a better teammate. He recently told a confidant he needs to be more in the physical forward role of Charles Barkley and less of a finesse player like Paul Pierce.
New Yorker Chris Mullin, recognizing the Heat’s improvement, said recently the Knicks have not come close to closing the gap on the defending champions. If that is the case, and the Knicks do not threaten to break their 40-season championship drought, the winds of change will sweep in next summer.
MARC’S CALL
Knicks can win a bunch of games despite their injuries. They just can’t win it all. Meet Mike Woodson’s new Atlanta Hawks, good but not good enough.
Prediction: 47-35, fifth in East, second round of playoffs