Just when the Knicks were trying to build momentum from Monday’s victory over Boston, Keith Van Horn could miss three games, including last night’s vs. the Lakers, with a sprained right ankle.
Van Horn appears doubtful for the weekend, against Detroit tomorrow against his former coach, Larry Brown, and Philly, his former team, Saturday.
Van Horn said it could be “five days” before he’s ready. He could barely walk at yesterday’s shootaround. His ankle was swollen and he was limping noticeably last night. “Probably not Friday,” Van Horn said. “I can’t see it changing that dramatically.
“It’s frustrating not being able to play considering where most of us thought this team was headed,” Van Horn said. “It’s tough to sit these games out.”
It’s a major blow, forcing Chaney to play the struggling Shandon Anderson at small forward.
“I’m concerned about it,” Chaney said. “We have to use whatever skill we have to make up the difference with energy and aggression. We need easy baskets, transition-wise and create turnovers.”
Anderson has been a turnover machine this season and is shooting 30.8 percent, averaging just 3.8 points. His emergence last season prompted Scott Layden to allow Lee Nailon, now with Atlanta, to walk as a free agent.
“I expect Shandon to do a good job, he’s played better of late,” Chaney said. “He’s getting there.”
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Knicks P.R. turned down several media requests for last night’s game against Kobe Bryant’s Lakers, including Celebrity Justice, Access Hollywood, Star Magazine and the Maury Povich Show.
“If we didn’t credential them for this game last year, we don’t see a need to credential them this year.”
Chaney believes Doc Rivers got a raw deal in Orlando, fired after a 1-10 start. Rivers, a logical candidate to replace Chaney after the season if the Knicks don’t match last season’s 37 wins, managed just one victory – over Chaney’s Knicks.
“The team he had was not the team he wanted,” Chaney said. “He had [Pat] Garrity injured. In this league, you win with players. You don’t have the players, it’s very hard to win. I thought he was undermanned. He has a great player in Tracy McGrady but no matter how great he is, he’s not going to do it by himself. They should’ve been more patient with him.”
