LAS VEGAS — Now rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. is truly a Knick after being hit by the team’s injury jinx yesterday.
After a brilliant first quarter in the Knicks’ Las Vegas Summer League game against the Wizards, Hardaway sat out the rest of the game with a sprained left wrist, and there’s a chance he’ll miss today’s final game of the preliminary round against Steve Clifford’s Bobcats. There’s also the chance he won’t play again in Vegas.
In his second game, Hardaway scored nine points in the first quarter, making 3-of-6 shots, including a 3-pointer and a monstrous driving dunk in the Knicks’ 82-69 victory. But Hardaway tumbled late in the quarter and injured his hand. X-rays were negative, and it’s unclear if he will have an MRI exam.
“I tripped on a fast break, then I tried to break my landing and didn’t go well,’’ Hardaway said. “I’m fine now, with ice, letting it rest. I hope I’m ready to go [today]. I’m anticipating it.’’
The Knicks could rest Hardaway today and bring him back for the playoff round later this week. Asked if he needed any more tests, Hardaway said, “Whatever the doctors tell me to do. I don’t know right now.’’
Hardaway scored 13 points in his summer-league opener, but shot the ball even better yesterday before the injury.
“I felt more confident, everything was going smoothly,’’ he said. “I was upset to come out and not play the rest of the game.’’
Even if Hardaway doesn’t resume his summer-league stint, it was enough to make a good impress on Knicks coach Mike Woodson.
“I like everything about him,’’ Woodson said. “When we were evaluating who we were going to draft, he was sitting at the top of our list. He’s a 6-4, 6-5 kid who plays bigger than he is and possesses a great jump shot. We have to add a few things to his game and he’s very intelligent, so he’ll learn the NBA game.’’
* Woodson said power forward Kenyon Martin remains in the Knicks’ plans, though no contract has been signed. “We’re still talking to Kenyon — he’s still majorly in our picture,’’ Woodson said. “I like everything Kenyon did for our ballclub last season.”
His father, Tim Hardaway Sr., was on hand again and joined by former Warriors teammates Chris Mullin and Mitch Ritchmond, all watching the former Michigan standout. “I guess it’s a reunion up there,’’ the younger Hardaway said. “But I was too young to remember them [playing].’’
* Iman Shumpert shut it down and didn’t play yesterday. Woodson said one game is enough for Shumpert because the Knicks will send coaches to Chicago to work him out as they experiment with him as a point guard.
* Woodson expects the Knicks to invite point guard Toure Murry and big man Jeremy Tyler to training camp. Murry had another nice showing yesterday, hitting 4-of-8 shots with three assists and six rebounds. “I like him a lot,’’ Woodson said of Murry.
“He’s a kid who was a two and made the transition to the one and he’s a big one. He gets up the floor and extends defensively and has good decision-making skills. He’s a guy we got to keep our eye on in bring to camp.’’ Tyler added 13 points (6-of-9) and eight rebounds… Patrick Ewing, a Bobcats assistant, has his son on the Charlotte team.