“I’m ready to go,” added a widely smiling Houston. “I feel like I can begin to scrimmage any time the team wants me to.”

this is from practice yesterday

great news! he also said he dont care if he comes off the bench, allan is the man

http://www.nba.com/knicks/inthepaint/practice_041122.html

that's really great news !

Houston Ready for Next Step
By DAVE CALDWELL

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/23/sports/basketball/23knicks.html?oref=login

Published: November 23, 2004


REENBURGH, N.Y., Nov. 22 - Knicks guard Allan Houston moved gracefully between spots on the perimeter of the floor Monday, catching passes and floating in one elegant jump shot after another. He made 18 in a row before a buzzer sounded and he took a break.

"He looks sharp," Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury said. "He looks like he's ready to shoot the ball in a real game."

And a real game, finally, is within sight for Houston, who has not played this season because of soreness in his left knee. Houston pronounced himself ready to begin scrimmaging, and he could get his first chance later this week.

"I feel better than I've felt since I've been in New York, period," Houston said.

Houston, 33, is in his ninth season with the Knicks. He did not miss more than five games in any of his first seven seasons with the Knicks, but he missed 32 last season.

Already playing on a sore knee, Houston bruised his left quadriceps when he bumped into Washington's Jared Jeffries on March 16. He played in only one game after that, scoring 2 points in eight minutes March 26 against Toronto.

Houston seemed to be delighted to announce Monday that he was ready to take the next step of his lengthy rehabilitation. Because the Knicks play Atlanta on Tuesday and Toronto on Wednesday, his first chance to scrimmage may come Friday.

"It's been an evolution with my strength and comfort level," he said. "I can do more and more things."

Houston participated in his first morning shoot-around before the Knicks beat Cleveland on Sunday, 98-88. Houston did everything the rest of his team did on Monday, including running, not walking, through the offense the team would use against Atlanta.

"We want to do it at a quick pace," Knicks Coach Lenny Wilkens said. "We don't want them to walk through it."

Wilkens found himself answering questions Monday about how he planned to find playing time for Houston. The Knicks (4-5) have two guards in Marbury and Jamal Crawford who are playing well. They combined for 36 points and 15 assists on Sunday.

When asked how Houston would be squeezed into the rotation, Wilkens said, "I don't think I'm at that point yet."

But Wilkens did say he would not be reluctant to use Marbury, Crawford and Houston at the same time.

Houston, wearing a white jersey and blue shorts like the other Knicks guards, said he was thrilled to be practicing. Although no one has determined when he would be activated, he said he would not care how much playing time he gets.

"It's been killing me, just watching," Houston said. "I'm just happy to be out there shooting, going through the plays."

Wilkens said he did not expect Houston to rejoin the lineup and instantly become the same player he has been during his 11-year N.B.A. career, in which he has averaged 17.5 points. A game is much faster and more physical than a scrimmage.

But Wilkens said a comeback was tougher for a player who had not been able to shoot during a layoff. Houston is shooting, and as each swish shows, he is accurate. Of course, the Knicks' practice floor is not surrounded by 19,763 fans.

"I would make sure he won't overdo it," Wilkens said.

Houston said he was not likely to overdo it, either. He seems to appreciate the prospect of returning to play. Eight months without a game is a long time.

"It's been a long road for me," Houston said.

>>>> I'm so excited to see him coming back at the moment things are starting to click for us. Our backcourt will be tough to defend in few weeks ! GO KNICKS !





[Edited by - raven on 11/23/2004 03:07:14]

"I feel better than I've felt since I've been in New York, period," Houston said

we have such a group of guys that can score do things offensively... this is a GREAT opportunity for Sweetney... he's a bonafide post threat and he's shown to be an excellent passer. I think you have to run many plays through him when we are in the half court set. When he's not in you run the typical pick and rolls, high screens and penetration plays that have been working well.

Posted by fishmike:

we have such a group of guys that can score do things offensively... this is a GREAT opportunity for Sweetney... he's a bonafide post threat and he's shown to be an excellent passer. I think you have to run many plays through him when we are in the half court set. When he's not in you run the typical pick and rolls, high screens and penetration plays that have been working well.

this is my only semi-gripe with lenny. when sweetney is in the game, he should touch the ball in the post EVERY SINGLE TIME. it should go inside out when he's in. i keep telling my friends and anybody else who'll listen at the games that it needs to go through sweetney. he can pass, he can make the shot, or he'll get to the line. but not only would it help the offense but it also lets us know if sweets is our PF of the future.

I just want the entire rotation to play well and so far everyone has but TT

I watch Sweetney a great deal. He needs to lose weight [probably 250 would be ideal] just for the reason you mentioned. His game is to much back to the basket, and he is to small for it. If he weighed less, he would have the option to face and dribble drive past bigger players or just start taking 12-14 footers. Mike hit something like 19 in a row from the FL. He's a very good shooter, but in the game its a rush or with poor balance If he was able to lose weight and incorporate the mid range jumper, he could get up to that 18 and 10 50% level consistently.

H20 becomes 6th man extrordinare. Who will see less minutes? The entire bench has played well, perhaps the best bench in the entire nBA. My guess is that Ariza will lose his minutes and TT will stay down at low 20's. To bad H2o wasnt 6-8, that we he could play 32 minutes at SF and let Ariza play 16 off the bench. I think they will stick with TT through thick and thin, I think thats the plan.



Perhaps something like

c-Nazr 35 minutes
PF Thomas 35 minutes
SF TT 24 minutes
SG Crawford 35 minutes
PG Marbury 37 minutes
Sweetney 20 minutes
JYD 15 minutes
Houston 25 minutes
Hardaway 15 minutes

Actually, Houston's return will benefit TT greatly. He will not be forced to stay on the outside to shoot the ball as much as he has been doing. The addition of Houston would push TT to play inside and that is where TT will be playing his best basket. I can't wait to see how effective this rotation will be.

Marb
Crawf
Houston
TT
Kurt or Naser.

Stop them if you can.

Here is the deal, regardless of how much TT struggles, if Houston returns healthy, we need to keep him in the game specially if he will be playing the PF position. Although his defense is a huge liability, but offensively he is still a threat. I know that he is going through a little funk right now, but soon or later, he will come out of it, specially watching Houston's text book ways of shooting the ball

I think Ariza will probably fall out of the rotation for a little while until he earns his way back in practice. Unlike last year, when Lenny inexplicably benched FW in favor of Moochie, I don't think this would be a mistake. Ariza needs a lot of work still.