OKLAHOMA CITY – What’s on Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni’s mind? Not only the return from injury of Carmelo Anthony, but also the looming Knicks debut of Baron Davis.
Davis is getting closer and closer to returning from a herniated disk and a person familiar with the situation said the guard will take a big leap in his rehab this week by starting full running drills and some contact basketball drills.
It’s not out of the question for him to be cleared for practice by next weekend and a late-January debut has become more likely than not.
Last night after the Knicks lost, 104-92, to the Thunder, D’Antoni said optimistically, “Melo will be back pretty soon and hopefully Baron’s around the corner and we’ll see what we got.’’
Davis doesn’t want to get his hopes up.
“Once I get that approval, I’ll be ready to go,’’ Davis told The Post. “I need to get the OK from the trainers. The approval will come when it’s the right time. I don’t want to be too optimistic. I want to take it day to day.’’
“But I can honestly say I’m making new strides and improvement. I want to focus in on that and that’s all I can control.’’
Meanwhile, Anthony, who missed last night’s game, said he was still uncertain about a return tomorrow at the Garden against the Magic because of his sprained ankle and wrist. The Martin Luther King Day contest is a 1 p.m. matinee, so that gives Anthony less time.
“It’s too far away to think about,’’ Melo said. “I got (today) to see if I can get ready by Monday. I’m just taking it day by day. The wrist is tolerable. I just need my foot to run. It feels a little tender. ’’
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This was Anthony’s lone shot to play against Thunder star Kevin Durant this season because the Thunder won’t be visiting the Garden. “It’s always fun, I love playing against guys like Durant,’’ Anthony said. “Those guys bring the best ouf of me. I was looking forward to it. It’s frustrating. I want to be out there with my troops.That’s why you see me sitting in the corner hibernating.’’
* Though Amar’e Stoudemire and Anthony officially are the Knicks’ co-captains, voted by the players, Tyson Chandler is the team’s unofficial leader.
Chandler also was an unofficial leader in Dallas last season, when he also didn’t have a captain’s title. Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki were co-captains on the Mavericks’ championship team.
“I definitely feel it’s one of my jobs to come in and do what I naturally do best: Be vocal,’’ Chandler told The Post. “It brings energy to the team. With this team, we have a few leaders. Amar’e leads in his own way, Melo leads in his way and we got a lot of vets like Baron Davis, Mike Bibby. But I’m probably the most vocal. I’m never out to become a team leader or team captain. I just come as myself.’’
Last season, the Knicks’ co-captains were Stoudemire and Raymond Felton. Both coach Mike D’Antoni and former president Donnie Walsh were effusive in praising Stoudemire as a leader. After Felton got traded, D’Antoni didn’t name Anthony as a co-captain because he was still settling in.
Asked yesterday what made Anthony a leader, D’Antoni paused for several seconds to think about it, then answered, “[He] practices hard’’ and is “a voice for the young guys.’’
Clearly, Chandler already has established himself in that department.
“I just try to keep the locker room loose but on edge,’’ Chandler said. “We got to make sure we take our craft seriously day-to-day. But the season’s so long, you got to have fun.”
* Knicks owner James Dolan attended his first road game last night because he was already in the Southwest on cable business.
* Thunder coach Scott Brooks previously was an assistant coach in Denver, and left an impression on Anthony during his time with the Nuggets.
“He’s already proven himself as one of the big-time coaches,’’ Anthony said. “I’ve seen him grow.’’