INDIANAPOLIS – Allan Houston may not have much preparation before Game 1 of the playoffs.
Houston sat out his second straight game with a right thigh bruise last night as the Knicks fell to the Pacers, 100-93 in Indiana He is not expected to suit up tomorrow vs. Atlanta at the Garden. Houston also expressed doubt about whether he’ll be back for the Sunday-Monday back-to-back in Philly and Cleveland.
Houston had never missed two straight games as a Knick. He’s missed two straight games just twice in his career, as a Piston. Houston said he won’t return until he’s “90 percent.”
If Houston misses the back-to-back set vs. Philly and Cleveland, he will have just one game to tuneup for the playoffs, the regular-season finale against the Pistons, Wednesday.
Houston wants to be right for the playoffs and right now he’s hobbled badly. Houston injured his thigh April 1 vs. the Lakers, after being kneed by Horace Grant on a drive to the basket, but played the next three games on it. A mistake, he admits now.
“I want to be not limping when I’m playing,” Houston said. “That’s really what it is. I didn’t realize how these things worked. I thought it was a bruise and it would be all right. But it goes deep. It’s deeper than I thought.
“It feels like under my skin I got a thick layer of wood sitting there,” said Houston. “It gets to a certain point when I walk it, it won’t stretch anymore.
“When I look at it now, I shouldn’t have played, but I wasn’t used to that,” Houston said. “It makes me realize how fortunate I’ve been to stay healthy.”
Jeff Van Gundy has never believed in resting his players for the playoffs. “I’m more concerned with getting him back playing at a high level before the playoffs. I don’t believe in resting before the playoffs. I’ve never done that and it’s helped us.”