Maybe it was the intoxication of watching Antonio McDyess rise for two spectacular dunks during a two-on-two following yesterday’s morning shootaround in a virtually empty gymnasium.
But for the first time since training camp opened in late September, Don Chaney said he believes when it’s all said and done, the Knicks are going to be in the playoffs.
Chaney has hedged on the playoff topic. In fact, before the season opener, he said he didn’t know if it was a playoff team without Dice. But now that McDyess should be back on the court by Dec. 1, Chaney is feeling good despite the 3-7 clip. And perhaps he realizes he’d better start talking postseason since owner James Dolan has already declared he “expects” this team to make it.
“I think we’re going to get to the playoffs,” Chaney declared before meeting the Lakers last night without Keith Van Horn. “That’s our main focus and I think good things will happen to us. It’s still early. We are playing better.”
The Atlantic Division is in disarray and the Knicks found themselves two games behind first place Boston (5-5) before the Lakers’ game. Four of the Knicks’ losses have come by five or less points, including two Garden defeats that happened because of failures to grab a defensive rebound in the final seconds.
So Chaney is convinced that Dice’s arrival should turn their fortunes. And Chaney said the 6-10 power forward doesn’t have to be the All-Star, 20-point, 10-rebound guy of his past.
Indeed, even if a rusty McDyess can play 20 minutes the first month or two off the bench, backing up both Kurt Thomas and Dikembe Mutombo, it means Knick fans won’t be subjected to the sore sight of undersized power forwards Othella Harrington and Clarence Weatherspoon.
“I don’t expect All-Star performances,” Chaney said. “I think he’ll probably get there. I want him back to have another player whose athletic and makes decisions. He’s a very good athlete. It’s what we need. He understands the game. He may not statistically get where he was a few years ago but just having him on the floor and being out there and having his presence will make us a very good basketball team.”
Chaney and assistant Brendan Malone pulled up a chair by the side of the court to watch McDyess’ 2-on-2 game that consisted of rookies Mike Sweetney and Maciej Lampe and player-development coach Tyrone Corbin. The 6-10 McDyess made two scintillating dunks. First, he drove by Lampe along the baseline and made a spectacular right-handed reverse slam, drawing a howl from Malone. Then he blew by Lampe again for a high-flying jam out of his Denver days. He got tripped up and tumbled but rose to his feet instantly.
The scary part is Dice, who’s recovering from three left-knee surgeries, believes he’s not getting up as high as a few years ago. “I still feel like I’m not getting up there, but it will come,” McDyess said.
McDyess will have his second full scrimmage today but has all but ruled out the weekend back-to-back vs. Detroit and Philly. Since there are no practices between that back-to-back and Monday’s game in Boston, Dice won’t suit up at FleetCenter either.
The earliest possible debut is Thanksgiving Eve in Minnesota, but Chaney feels he’ll still need another practice before that. The next practice after the Wolves-Pacers back-to-back is Nov. 30, meaning Dec. 1 vs. Detroit at the Garden could be the big night.
They’ve done it before
Don Chaney (below), perhaps buoyed by the impending return of Antonio McDyess (left), says the Knicks are going to make the playoffs despite a 3-7 start. Twice in their history have the Knicks had a record this bad or worse after 10 games and still made the postseason – Hubie Brown’s 1982-83 squad and Rick Pitino’s 1987-88 team. Here’s a look:
YEAR AFTER 10 AFTER 11 FINAL REC.
1960-61 2-8 2-9 21-58
1962-63 2-8 3-8 21-59
1964-65 2-8 2-9 31-49
1984-85 2-8 2-9 24-58
1985-86 2-8 3-8 23-59
1987-88 2-8 3-8 38-44
2002-03 2-8 2-9 37-45
1957-58 3-7 4-7 35-37
1959-60 3-7 4-7 27-48
1963-64 3-7 3-8 22-58
1975-76 3-7 3-8 40-42
1981-82 3-7 4-7 33-49
1982-83 3-7 3-8 44-38
1986-87 3-7 3-8 24-58
2003-04 3-7 TBD TBD
