RAY OF HOPE?
Felton eyes return, Knicks seek answers
RAYMOND FELTON admittedly came back too soon from a hip injury in November, but the Knicks' starting point guard appears to be pushing to do so again.
Felton might play Monday night in Orlando after sitting out the past six games with a strained hamstring, which he originally injured during training camp. He also missed four games in mid-November with a pinched nerve in his hip.
"I feel better, for sure. Definitely feel better. Can't say I'm totally 100% after doing some tests these last two days, but I can say I'm better than the last time I came back from the last injury," said Felton, who officially has been listed as questionable for the Magic. "It's just something to think about because I don't want to keep aggravating this hamstring and if you keep aggravating something, possibly it could tear and I definitely don't want that.
"So I'm just trying to be cautious for sure this time and make sure I'm 100%."
With Pablo Prigioni (toe) also sidelined, Beno Udrih has started the past t wo games at the point for the K nicks, who fel l to 4-10 at home with Saturday's 95-87 loss to Memphis.
The Knicks were outrebounded 56-29 by the Grizzlies despite embattled Mike Woodson employing his so-called "big lineup," with Tyson Chandler between Carmelo Anthony and Andrea Bargnani.
Because of injuries and the coach's desire for favorable matchups, it marked the 12th different starting configuration the Knicks have used during their 8-18 start. It also prompted Anthony to say after the game, "You never know what lineup we are going to have out there," but Woodson declined to commit to a starting five against Orlando. "We haven't played (the big lineup) a lot this year because Tyson has been missing in action ( with a fractured leg)," Woodson said. "But that (rebound discrepancy) is unacceptable when you've got two 7-footers and a 6-7 guy out there along with a 6-5 guy (Iman Shumpert).
"We're big enough to rebound the ball. It takes effort, and we didn't do that. I thought that was the difference and then the layups we gave up."
Woodson has talked often about the team's lack of effort throughout the season, and Sunday was no different, although he did say "these guys haven't quit."
The Knicks return home to face NBA-leading Oklahoma City on Christmas Day, and Woodson isn't likely to survive for long after the holidays if the same problems persist.
"It's my job to push these guys, and I'm going to continue to do that. I'm not happy, I wasn't happy (Saturday) with the effor t," Woodson said. "I thought we played in spurts again, and that's coming off a double-overtime win i n Milwaukee where I thought we were pretty consistent, we just couldn't close it in regulation.
"To come home and play like we did in front of our fans, it's just … somehow we've got to flip that, because this is where we should feel the most comfortable."
Woodson reiterated after watching game tapes of the Memphis loss — which dropped the Knicks to 4-10 at the Garden — that he was embarrassed by the ongoing effort issues, particularly on the glass and at the defensive end.
"Without a doubt, it's way too deep into the season to even be having this problem right now," J.R. Smith said.
"When guys are missing block-outs, when we're giving up layups because we're not protecting one another from a defensive standpoint, that to me is all effort plays," Woodson said.
"You show it enough on film, the tape today was embarrassing to watch. I know it was. But you've got to learn from it."
"Hopefully (Monday) night when we come out, it'll carry over to hopefully a win, because again we can't keep making excuses for ourselves. We've got to start winning games." KNEED
FOR CONCERN: The Knicks claimed Tim Hardaway Jr. briefly left Saturday's game with a stomach issue, not because of a knee-to-knee collision with Jamaal Franklin. But Hardaway clearly was limping after the play. ...
Woodson said Metta World Peace (knee) remains day-to-day, but Toure' Murry (ankle) "should be ready to go."