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Knicks: Crawford ready to take floor tonight against Spurs

Tuesday, November 16, 2004
BY COLIN STEPHENSON
Star-Ledger Staff

SAN ANTONIO -- It won't solve their biggest problem, which is trying to limit the damage Tim Duncan is likely to inflict on them, but at least the Knicks can feel fortunate they'll have guard Jamal Crawford in the lineup when they take on the San Antonio Spurs tonight at SBC Center.

Crawford, who left Saturday's game against Indiana after injuring his neck in the second quarter, practiced yesterday and pronounced himself good to go when the Knicks play the first of their Texas Triangle games.

"It feels a lot better today," Crawford said of his neck, which he strained while falling after taking an inadvertent blow to the face from Pacers guard Stephen Jackson. "I still feel it a little bit, but I don't think that'll stop me from playing."

Crawford, who saw the replay of the hit but still doesn't know exactly what happened, or even whether he hit his head on the court, said his neck and shoulder muscles are sore. But he practiced all-out yesterday and said he won't be limited in any way. Knicks coach Lenny Wilkens said after watching Crawford practice that he won't hesitate using him in a normal fashion.

"He had a full practice, and didn't seem to have any effects from the fall that he took," Wilkens said. "He was perky and got up and down the floor real good, and (had) no aftereffects, so that's good."

Crawford, who felt "woozy" after the hit, said he had been examined during and after the game by doctors and was diagnosed as not having suffered a concussion. He said he may have been a little more cautious with the injury because he suffered a really scary neck injury exactly one year ago in a game against Minnesota during a collision with T'wolves guard Fred Hoiberg. Crawford landed on the back of his neck that night, lost feeling in some extremities and was taken off the court on a stretcher, causing him to miss two games. This injury, he said, was a little scary, but nothing like the one last year.

He also absolved Jackson of malice, noting the Pacers guard came right over to him as soon as he fell to the ground to apologize.

Crawford won't be coming back to an easy assignment. After a scoreless outing Saturday, his average fell to 14.8, while the player he will be guarding tonight, Manu Ginobili, is the Spurs' second-leading scoring (behind Duncan) at 20.5. Ginobili is shooting an impressive 54.2 percent from the field, and 50 percent (12-for-24) from 3-point range.

Crawford, though, said he's up for the challenge.

"He's a good player, but I like my chances," Crawford said.


Notes:

Tim Thomas said he was not aware that Clippers forward Elton Brand was fined $7,500 Sunday for his hit on him in Friday's game at the Garden. In fact, he said he didn't even think it was that bad a foul, initially. "I didn't know it was that vicious until I watched the film." Thomas said. "And then, as I watched the film of it, I actually see him -- it was like a WWF move, he just came straight across and came down with both arms."...

Wilkens said 7-2 center Bruno Sundov will be activated off the injured list tonight.... The team announced TV ratings on MSG Network for the first five games are up 47 percent over the first five games of last season, with the Philadelphia game drawing the highest number of viewers (221,000).