Curry Set to Return vs. Spurs
Mar 9 2010 9:47PM
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Eddy Curry is expected to return to the lineup against the San Antonio Spurs.
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Eddy Curry is looking forward to showing his teammates, coaches and the fans
that he is ready to play a big role for the New York Knicks in their final
19 games of the season.
After returning to practice last week following left knee surgery in January, the 7-foot center announced Tuesday that he will officially be back in the lineup when the Knicks tip off a five-game road trip against the Spurs Wednesday night in San Antonio.
"I'm definitely going to give it a shot tomorrow," Curry said after practice at the team's training facility. "I'm feeling pretty good, and I'll go out there tomorrow and see what I can do."
Curry, who last played on Dec. 17, will likely have to take it easy in his first game back to prevent any further setbacks. D'Antoni will closely monitor his minutes for the first week or so similar to what he's doing with Tracy McGrady, who underwent microfracture knee surgery last season.
"We'll just kind of feel it out and see how he goes, and he'll tell me and I'll look at him," D'Antoni said. "I do want to play him and keep amping up the minutes a little bit, but I would imagine the first week or some is going to be a little rocky."
Curry has been unable to stay on the court over the last two seasons. After being limited to three games last season with knee injuries, Curry worked hard over the summer to get back in basketball shape but missed the beginning of the year with a torn right plantaris muscle. He returned to play seven games, but was once again forced to sit out with knee problems and had surgery on Jan. 18.
All that is in the past now as the goal is to gain momentum heading into the summer and be ready to play a full season next year.
"My plan is once I'm back to be back for good," he said.
Curry will play a big role for the new-look Knicks in his latest comeback. With no real center on the roster following three trades last month, the Knicks could use Curry's size down low. He is expected to get quality playing time once he's back to basketball form.
"We'd like to post him up and he can run the floor a little bit," Knicks head coach D'Antoni said. "It's not like we're flying up and down the floor so I think it's perfect for him. We'll try to give him the ball a little bit better than the last time he came in and just see if we can integrate him well, get his confidence up and just get a lot of rust off him."
From what his teammates have seen in practice over the past couple of weeks, Curry is already showing promising signs that he will be able to contribute right away.
"He's strong as hell in the paint, there's no doubt about that," David Lee said. "He's getting his timing back with catching and finishing and things like that. Anytime you're a big body inside like he is inside and you have as quick as feet as he does, the only thing that's going to be a little bit short is cardio."
No one will benefit more from Curry's return than David Lee, who at 6-9 has been playing the center spot for the past two seasons. But Lee is more concerned about Curry getting back to his old self, when he averaged over 19 points a game for the Knicks just a few years ago.
"I want to see Eddy back for Eddy more than anybody else," Lee said. "He's going to help our team and hopefully give us some good minutes."
Curry's return comes at a good time for New York, which could once again be shorthanded in San Antonio. McGrady, who sat out Monday's win over the Atlanta Hawks, warmed up before Tuesday's practice but did not participate. D'Antoni says he's a "game-time decision."
"I'm a little bit nervous because I haven't played in so long," Curry said. "But I'm looking forward to the opportunity."
After returning to practice last week following left knee surgery in January, the 7-foot center announced Tuesday that he will officially be back in the lineup when the Knicks tip off a five-game road trip against the Spurs Wednesday night in San Antonio.
"I'm definitely going to give it a shot tomorrow," Curry said after practice at the team's training facility. "I'm feeling pretty good, and I'll go out there tomorrow and see what I can do."
Curry, who last played on Dec. 17, will likely have to take it easy in his first game back to prevent any further setbacks. D'Antoni will closely monitor his minutes for the first week or so similar to what he's doing with Tracy McGrady, who underwent microfracture knee surgery last season.
"We'll just kind of feel it out and see how he goes, and he'll tell me and I'll look at him," D'Antoni said. "I do want to play him and keep amping up the minutes a little bit, but I would imagine the first week or some is going to be a little rocky."
Curry has been unable to stay on the court over the last two seasons. After being limited to three games last season with knee injuries, Curry worked hard over the summer to get back in basketball shape but missed the beginning of the year with a torn right plantaris muscle. He returned to play seven games, but was once again forced to sit out with knee problems and had surgery on Jan. 18.
All that is in the past now as the goal is to gain momentum heading into the summer and be ready to play a full season next year.
"My plan is once I'm back to be back for good," he said.
Curry will play a big role for the new-look Knicks in his latest comeback. With no real center on the roster following three trades last month, the Knicks could use Curry's size down low. He is expected to get quality playing time once he's back to basketball form.
"We'd like to post him up and he can run the floor a little bit," Knicks head coach D'Antoni said. "It's not like we're flying up and down the floor so I think it's perfect for him. We'll try to give him the ball a little bit better than the last time he came in and just see if we can integrate him well, get his confidence up and just get a lot of rust off him."
From what his teammates have seen in practice over the past couple of weeks, Curry is already showing promising signs that he will be able to contribute right away.
"He's strong as hell in the paint, there's no doubt about that," David Lee said. "He's getting his timing back with catching and finishing and things like that. Anytime you're a big body inside like he is inside and you have as quick as feet as he does, the only thing that's going to be a little bit short is cardio."
No one will benefit more from Curry's return than David Lee, who at 6-9 has been playing the center spot for the past two seasons. But Lee is more concerned about Curry getting back to his old self, when he averaged over 19 points a game for the Knicks just a few years ago.
"I want to see Eddy back for Eddy more than anybody else," Lee said. "He's going to help our team and hopefully give us some good minutes."
Curry's return comes at a good time for New York, which could once again be shorthanded in San Antonio. McGrady, who sat out Monday's win over the Atlanta Hawks, warmed up before Tuesday's practice but did not participate. D'Antoni says he's a "game-time decision."
"I'm a little bit nervous because I haven't played in so long," Curry said. "But I'm looking forward to the opportunity."
