INDIANAPOLIS — When it rains, it pours. In the Knicks case, whenever they’re about to achieve full health, injuries reign again. And just when Amar’e Stoudemire was in a groove, he’s out again, and it’s not even his knee.
Big men Stoudemire and Kenyon Martin each sprained their left ankles in the 117-89 blowut loss to the Pacers and each are expected to miss at least a few games. Stoudemire’s injury appears more severe.
Also, Tim Hardaway Jr., who sprained his wrist during summer league, sprained it again in the fourth quarter with a bad tumble and needed X-rays.
Hardaway, who has had a good rookie season, said he would be OK to play Friday against the Clippers, but admitted the doctors had yet to see the X-ray images. Hardaway said he believes it’s just a sprain, but the sprain cost him to miss the final four games of summer league in Las Vegas.
Meanwhile, Stoudemire, who had played so smoothly of late and stayed healthy, rolled his ankle in the third quarter on a drive and hobbled off on the next possesson. He followed Martin, who sprained his ankle in the second quarter, to the locker room. Martin battles chronic ankle issues.
It leaves the Knicks short on big men, and likely coach Mike Woodson will put newly signed Jeremy Tyler back in the rotation. Tyler has appeared in the last two games in garbage time, scoring six points in 2:30 minutes in Charlotte.
“I guess I’ll be a five,’’ Carmelo Anthony said jokingly. “Amar’e really sprained his ankle really bad. Kenyon’s ankle felt different than it did before. We lost two of our big guys. We got couple of big guys who we have to utilize.’’
Stoudemire said he will be reevaluated Friday and could need an MRI exam. He is holding out hope he could be back in one week.
“Hopefully sooner than later” Stoudemire said. “I’m not sure. We’ll see how it feels [Friday]. Right now it’s throbbing pretty well now because the trauma happened not so long ago. ’’
Ironically, Monday’s would have been the first game of the season in which all 15 players were scheduled to be available with the expected returns of Pablo Prigioni and Metta World Peace.