GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Carmelo Anthony conceded that he was scared after he initially fell and injured his left knee Monday.
“Yeah, it was scary when it first happened,” he said Wednesday after the Knicks had a non-contact workout.
“The way I fell down and just that feeling. Anytime you have a knee injury like that it gets scary but I’m good.”
Anthony stepped on rookie Iman Shumpert’s foot Monday and then sat out the rest of that practice as well as Tuesday before practicing Wednesday with a sleeve on his left leg.
Asked if he planned to play in Saturday’s exhibition game against the Nets at The Prudential Center, Anthony said, “Absolutely, absolutely.”
With an abbreviated 66-game schedule, it will be imperative for the Knicks to remain injury-free, or at least to minimize whatever injuries they do sustain.
“[It’s] much better,” Anthony said of his knee. “I think [Tuesday] the treatment that I did and the workout that I did, I’m just resting it a little bit really helped out.”
Amar’e Stoudemire said he was happy to have Anthony back.
“His knee’s not bothering him at all from what I’ve noticed of today’s practiced, so he looks great,” Stoudemire said.
Anthony underwent surgeries on his left knee and right elbow during the offseason, and says he’s still adjusting to how his elbow feels post-surgery.
“It feels weird, though, just shooting the basketball and being able to hold my follow through up after my shot because before I was kind of jerking my shot and not being to follow through,” he said. “It feels better, much better, but I still gotta get used to it.”
With Toney Douglas penciled in as the starting point guard, Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni has said he plans to use Anthony at the point forward position, and Anthony said Monday he’s comfortable with that.
“If [D’Antoni] wants me to play point, I’ll do my best to play point,” he said Monday.
Mainly, Anthony said he’s focused on getting his body right for a condensed season that will feature 21 back-to-backs, one set of three games in three nights and four games in five nights on four occasions.
“As long as I can get my body and train my body to be in the best shape, then come April, playoff team, then I’ll be ready to rock,” he said.
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Bill Walker (groin) missed his second straight day of practice, and D’Antoni admitted he was concerned.
“I think it’s serious because he’s missed two practices,” he said. “Does that mean he’s out for another two? I don’t know that. I think it’s day-to-day and hopefully he responds to treatment and gets back in there as soon as he can.”
He added: “I feel bad for Billy. He wants to be out here and he’s kept his weight at a very good level and it just happened. And those things are freakish but he’ll get over it and he’ll be back in there pretty soon.”
