On the Horizon

  The NY Knicks have a 21-9 record and one of the best teams in the league, but yet they are injured and banged up at the moment. Iman, Stat, Sheed, Melo, and Raymond are the players out  at the moment. The Knicks have players ready to get back to prominence and some that are in the beginning stages of the healing process. Here is the breakdown of their status. Amare Stoudemire: From all reports STAT will make his way back sometime this week. Whether it is Jan 1st or a few days later, the addition of Amare will be a tremendous boost to the offense and the Knicks rotation. The questions are, how ready is he to play defense, can he play with Melo and will his explosiveness be there? My main question is will Amare stay healthy? Iman Shumpert: Iman has had a long road back from an injury that shook every Knicks fan in last year’s first round match-up vs. the Heat. Iman was just cleared for team practice with NO contact. He will go work with the team in every way except contact. Every week Iman progresses to the next stage and I am expecting Shump back in the next 2 weeks. His perimeter shooting and DEFENSE will help the Knicks guards slow down and stifle other teams’ back-courts. With the loss of Felton for 4-6 weeks, Iman’s addition will be seamless with minutes available. Rasheed Wallace: On Friday Rasheed joined the team in shoot around and did it without the walking boot he has been wearing for the last 2 weeks. He commented on “feeling good” and will give it a go on Jan 1st or within that week. Carmelo Anthony: Anytime Melo gets hurt we all hold our breath. Melo has many bumps and bruises this season, but this one was scary. His hyper extension is something not to take lightly. As of now he is day to day with no plans for an MRI. Melo had trouble walking the day after the game and it did swell up that same night. The Knicks had a few days off this weekend and this gives Melo chance to get some rest and be re-evaluated this coming week. Expected return is the first week of the New Year. Raymond Felton: Ray has been banged up for a month now. The last few weeks he has really struggled with the ball and running the team. His fractured finger on Christmas Day will not require surgery, but will keep him out for 4-6 weeks. This rest should get Ray healthy and ready for the second half of the year. The Knicks are counting on Felton to lead the team the way he did early in the year. The rest could do Raymond good. In Summary, the Knicks have some players to integrate back into the line-up. Having a deep team is what wins championships. As long as the players are committed to winning and not worried about minutes, the depth on this roster can take the Knicks to new heights. Let’s Get It!   Peter A. Knickswag Chief The post On the Horizon appeared first on Knickswag - A New York Knicks Blog - News, Rumors, and more!.