The saga of Marcus Camby’s right knee took another strange turn yesterday. Over team doctor Norman Scott’s advice, Camby was activated from the injured list and was ready to make his return last night vs. the Rockets.
Camby revealed he suffered more swelling in his right knee following yesterday’s morning shootaround, raising concerns from Dr. Scott. But the Knicks’ dynamic sixth man was adamant about playing and Dr. Scott let him go, since swelling will likely haunt Camby the rest of the season. Camby, however, must play with a sleeve, which he is uncomfortable with.
“[Dr Scott] said ‘Was I ready to play?,'” Camby said before last night’s game. “I said I’ve been ready to play the last couple of weeks. He was trying to hold me out a couple of more days because of the swelling that happened during shootaround.
“We talked. I’ll have swelling probably the rest of the season. It’s something I’ll have to deal with. I feel confident enough that I’m ready to play. I listened to him last time but I feel more ready than I was the previous time. I’m tired of sitting over there. I want to get into the mix of things.”
Camby, who has not played the last 17 games because of a strained ACL, had returned to practice March 1 but severe swelling delayed his return. Dr. Scott, in particular, kept Camby out of practice. Camby didn’t practice again until Monday. No swelling occurred after Monday’s workout but did so, strangely, after the shootaround yesterday.
However, Camby said he’s feeling “very minimal pain.”
“That’s fine with me,” he said of Scott’s warning that he’ll have swelling the rest of the season. “I did some great things [Monday] in the light practice. He wanted me to rest it a couple of more days. But my mindset was I was going to play today. I didn’t bring no suit today.
“It’s just swelling because of all the pounding my knee has taken,” Camby said. “It’s going to be there the rest of the year. I’m fine with that. It’s sort of like the tendinitis I’ve had in my left knee. I can live with it and play with that going down the stretch and in the playoffs.”
Wearing a brace is another issue – one Camby is concerned about. “He wants me to wear the sleeve when I’m playing and not playing,” Camby said. “I never played with it that much, never been that comfortable with it. I’ll have to wear it to play.
“I’m not used to wearing a brace, so that’s added discomfort. But once I got used to it and start getting more practices and more games under my belt, I should be fine.”
The Knicks were 10-7 without Camby, who injured his knee Feb. 6 vs. Miami. At first, it was believed by the Knick medical staff that Camby had suffered a partial or full ACL tear, but exploratory surgery showed no tear at all. After surgery, Camby was told he could be back as soon as three weeks. Turns out five weeks was more accurate. Twelve days ago, Camby got in hot water when he referred to his knee injury as being “misdiagnosed from the beginning.”
Camby was not expected to be used as much as normal last night. “He won’t play his average minutes, I’m sure,” Jeff Van Gundy said. “But he’s going to play.”
“Whatever Jeff wants to give me,” Camby said. “I’m not expecting to come play in big minutes my first couple of games back. That’s fine. I just want to get my feet wet. Hopefully the guys will see the uniform and get fired up and I’ll try to get the crowd fired up.”
Camby’s rebounding and help defense will be most welcomed, although the Knick rebounding woes have started to turn around. Patrick Ewing has been a monster on the boards over the last four games, coinciding with the Knicks outrebounding their opponents in every contest. That stretch comes after getting outrebounded seven straight.
“The first thing I’m concerned about is rebounding,” Camby said. “I’m not worried about offense, never have been since I’ve been here.”
