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. Â Read more after the jump.
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. ’’
