NEW YORK — Baron Davis was running around the Madison Square Garden court taking shots from all over the place on Monday.
Then the game started, Davis sat on the bench and the Knicks lost to the Orlando Magic, 102-93.
But if all goes well, Davis could make his Knicks debut sometime next week.
“He’s going to play as soon as he can play,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said before the game.
Davis is recovering from a herniated disc in his back and must improve his stamina before being cleared for contact. The medical staff will reassess his situation later this week.
“You don’t know how he’s going to react to contact until he starts doing it,” D’Antoni said.
“If it doesn’t set him back, then we’ll throw him into a game.”
When Davis does return, D’Antoni will have some decisions to make. Does energetic rookie Iman Shumpert come off the bench to back up Davis? Or do the Knicks start both Davis and Shumpert, relegating both Toney Douglas and Landry Fields to the bench?
Whatever happens, D’Antoni seems anxious to get Davis back. Asked what the best-cast scenario on his return would be, D’Antoni said: “The best case scenario for me? Yesterday.”
