NBA

Woody aims to get Brewer in practice with Knicks

ALBANY, N.Y. — For the benefit of reserve guard Ronnie Brewer, the Knicks changed today’s optional practice to a more official affair.

Brewer is recovering from a torn meniscus in his left knee (which he originally didn’t know about) and has not played in a preseason game yet.

Preparing to play the 76ers in Syracuse at the Carrier Dome tomorrow night, the Knicks will practice today on the same main court so Brewer can get some simulated game action.

“We’ll get some kind of contact work with Ronnie and see how he feels the next day, and if he tells me he’s fine, I’m going to play him Monday,” coach Mike Woodson said before his Knicks lost to the Celtics, 109-98, Saturday night at the Times Union Center. “We’re going to have everyone there [at practice], but certain guys will be doing certain things. But we’re going to have enough to see that [Brewer] has some contact.”

It will also be a return for Carmelo Anthony to Syracuse, where in 2009 he donated the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center on his alma mater’s campus.

* Woodson was not deterred by the play of Amar’e Stoudemire in the 107-88 loss to the Raptors on Friday in Montreal. It was Stoudemire’s first preseason game, and the debut of his new post moves.

“I think when you’re doing something new like that, you’re so anxious to make something happen and a lot times it’s not there,” Woodson said after

* Amar’e Stoudemire sat out, along with Anthony, Tyson Chandler and Jason Kidd.

“We’ll show him the tape individually and break his moves down so he can actually see it. So if he’s in that position next time, he won’t rush, he will take his time and make something happen.”

* Rasheed Wallace, still not in game shape, is back in New York and Woodson said he will be reevaluated on Tuesday. The veteran forward was signed on a deal that is not guaranteed until January, and is in the midst of a tenuous tryout.

“I’ve always thought highly of Rasheed as a player,” Woodson said. “He’s been out two years, that’s why he has spent the last month with us, basically conditioning just to see if he can still play. We’ll know something soon.”