http://www.nypost.com/seven/01242009/sports/knicks/docs__gallinari_wont_play_two_straight_n_151651.htm

The Knicks medical staff has decided to shut down rookie Danilo Gallinari on the second leg of back-to-back games for the time being, The Post has learned.

Hence, Gallinari will sit out tonight's contest vs. the Sixers. The KnicksNew York Knicks are being cautious because of a bulging disc that first emerged in early July and cost the rookie most of the summer league, all of preseason and the last 2½ months.

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Gallinari has given the Knicks a solid nine-man rotation in his four games back, but that will go down to eight tonight.

The Knicks have eight more back-to-backs the remainder of the season. Their next back-to-back is not until Feb. 10-11, at Golden State and Los Angeles, and a source said it is unknown if he will be cleared to play both games.

Gallinari had another strong game despite fouling out with six minutes left of a 108-88 win over the Grizzlies. Moments before, he hit a 3-pointer to bring down the house and left the game to a huge ovation. Earlier in the fourth, Gallinari dribbled behind the back and made a tough runner along the baseline.

The 6-foot-10 Italian Stallion has averaged nine points on 55.6-percent shooting in the four games.

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ESPN.com reports Olympiacos has focused its sights on Janerro Pargo, cooling on Stephon Marbury for the time being. The Greek team needs to make a decision by Tuesday, when Euroleague rosters are set. Marbury has told confidants he prefers to remain in the NBA this season unless the offer is a whopper.

Olympiacos has yet to contact either the Knicks or Marbury, who wrote an e-mail to The Post that said, "I'm willing to listen to what they have to say. I won't close a door that hasn't been opened."

Marbury has offered the Knicks a $1 million giveback in order for a buyout, while James Dolan is believed to want Marbury to give back $2 million.

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Marc Iavaroni is out of a job, but maybe not for long. Iavaroni's ties to D'Antoni makes him a natural to join the staff this summer. Fired by the Grizzlies Thursday night amid an 11-30 season that followed last season's 22-60 mess, Iavaroni unlikely is to emerge immediately as a head coach. Latching on in a big market such as New York, with D'Antoni, is a logical move. Iavaroni was known as the Suns' defensive guru and when he left, Suns GM Steve Kerr felt the franchise missed his attention to defense.

wow, I guess they are being extra cautious with the kid. Well if the docs feel it is a good Idea, I guess we will have to wait to see gallo monday vs the rockets..

Posted by astonduck1:

This is scary.

I hope this back issue doesn't become one of those career-plaguing injuries.

This has nothing to do with him re-injuring his back. This has to do with the medical staff being cautious with a 20yr old rookie who just had a back problem.

I was at the game last night. His back is still bothering him. When he is not in the game , he is in the lockeroom either stretching, ice, heat or riding a bike I am guessing(who knows except the staff). When he is playing , at every break you see him stretching his back, legs and trying to get loose. ( BTW , no other player is doing this) I hope its staying stable and not getting worse. Its not a good sign he is not playing tonight.

I wish the Knicks would just take the kid to Dr. Sarno.

Fucking bulging disk??! Are you kidding me?

This kid isn't going to make it. Why the hell are they playing him?

Posted by GKFv2:

Posted by 4949:

Fucking bulging disk??! Are you kidding me?

This kid isn't going to make it. Why the hell are they playing him?

Are you mentally incapable of reading a post?

How's that breathing into a phone and hanging up on women coming along mental case?

Posted by GKFv2:

Posted by 4949:

Posted by GKFv2:

Posted by 4949:

Fucking bulging disk??! Are you kidding me?

This kid isn't going to make it. Why the hell are they playing him?

Are you mentally incapable of reading a post?

How's that breathing into a phone and hanging up on women coming along mental case?

What in God's name are you talking about? Sometimes I wonder why I still acknowledge your posts.

I wonder why too.

Posted by Ira:

Seriously, in a way it's a good sign. The kid must be very rusty and he's playing in pain, yet he still looks good out there.

He's basically played in only four games, since he came back. Someone's grandma would look good out there for that long. It appears that people are in denial about the seriousness of his back. I mean he's missed almost the whole first half of the season, he's sitting the next game because of a bulging disk (obviously because they mentioned it). I mean what's not to get here?

My complaint isn't about talent, or being there to contribute. I think he's a great contributor, even though it's four games so far. But this disk thing is being taken very lightly and the best thing to do is to let him recover from it. Let him come back next year, stronger, hungrier and most importantly, a chance at better health. Why take a chance on making it worse? And that's what their doing. They're taking a chance.

Is there anyone here that see's red flags that I'm seeing?

But he's only 20 years old, with no major injury experience to know better.

And because he's so young, of course he's gonna wanna play.

[Edited by - 4949 on 01-24-2009 4:15 PM]

He is a 20 yr old kid who has been playing 3-4 years as a professional against grown men. He knew enough to know that he could not do the things he was used to doing on the court even though the Knicks doctors had given him their OK to play.

The Knicks training staff probably got him injured with a poorly supervised weight training program that first injured his back, and their doctors rushed him back before the injury was fully healed. I am willing to trust the instincts of the injured party over a medical staff with a less than sterling record of success.



Besides, if he is the p---y that many on UK have thought (think) him to be, his low pain tolerance just might turn out to be a better early warning system for possible reinjury than any evaluations the Knicks medical staff can make.