MIAMI – Uh-oh.
Burdened by back spasms, Patrick Ewing was unable to practice in the Knicks’ final session before flying here. In a jarring development, Knick
coach Jeff Van Gundy would not guarantee “The Big Fella” would be able to tip off against Alonzo Mourning today at 12:30 p.m. for Game 1 of their second-round showdown against the Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Talk about horrible timing. Ewing, 37, had not missed a game since returning from Achilles tendinitis Dec. 10 after missing the season’s first 20 contests. Ewing developed spasms midway through Friday’s practice and sat out yesterday’s last prep while undergoing treatment.
As players came off the practice court at Purchase, Ewing was in socks and slippers. Ewing said he wasn’t doing any interviews but made a quick remark before leaving the court, indicating he’d play.
“It’s my goal to play,” said Ewing, who is officially listed as game-time decision. “They’re giving me treatment. If it was [Friday], it was no. But today, wild horses couldn’t drag me away.”
Of course, Ewing will have to see how he feels when he wakes up today in the team’s Coconut Grove hotel.
“We’ll see [Sunday],” Van Gundy said. “Obviously we’d like to have everyone healthy but if he’s not, the game’s at 12:30. We’ve played without him before and we’ll play well we think regardless. Obviously, he makes us a lot better.”
While he is expected to suit up, not having Ewing at full strength is a devastating blow. In six days of hype, Miami star point guard Tim Hardaway went from hobbled to healthy and the Knicks’ warrior went from the healthiest he’s been in three years to a 7-foot question mark again. So much for public opinion that the Knicks are clear favorites in this series.
Even if Ewing plays today, the disturbing question is how will he hold up over the course of a potential seven-game grind against the ultra physical Heat. This series does not have the yawning gaps as Round 1 and this is truly the chance for Mourning to show no mercy on his Georgetown mentor.
Ewing’s matchup against Mourning had already been considered an edge for Miami but not a huge one. Ewing even tried to get inside Mourning’s head earlier this week with his proclamation that he was still the better center.
Ewing had a right to be feeling his oats. After everyone branded him a role player upon his December return, Ewing became much more than that from February on when he played All-Star caliber ball. He finished the season averaging 15 points and 9.7 rebounds and – to the chagrin of many Knick observers – became their first option on offense down the stretch of games in the regular season’s last six weeks.
The Knicks were 11-9 without Ewing this season. Including playoffs, they are 42-23 with him. In the lone game Ewing did not play against the Heat this season in November, Mourning went wild, scoring 25 points in a Miami rout at the Garden.
Ewing played last year’s first-round series limping and scored 21 points in the series-clinching Game 5. Soon after, in the conference finals against Indiana in Game 2, he tore his Achilles tendon and the Knicks went to the Finals without him.
If Ewing doesn’t start, the Knicks will use reserve Kurt Thomas to defend Mourning, who averaged 23.3 points against the Knicks this season. And suddenly Chris Dudley, who has been out of the rotation for months, becomes a factor off the bench. Insurance center Andrew Lang, a garbage-time guy since Ewing’s return, could also be used in a crunch.
“I’m not ruling out playing anybody,” Van Gundy said.
Dudley is battling back problems of his own but of a more chronic nature. Dudley has a bulging disk in his back and went on the injured list late in the season.
“The good thing about that is when you do something sudden like Patrick did, the symptoms sometimes disappear quickly, too,” Dudley said.
Van Gundy said he believes Ewing had back spasms in years past but couldn’t recall when. Surely, Ewing has had enough physical woes. Ewing broke his wrist during the 1997-98 season, was bothered by his Achilles much of last season and has chronic tendinitis in his knees. Ewing’s right wrist still aches, too. After every practice, he ices the wrist. It is something he will have to play with the rest of his career.
Allan Houston said he expects Ewing in the lineup.
“Bottom line, we’re a post-up team whether Patrick’s in or not,” Houston said. “We’re still going to post me, Spree, and Larry (Johnson) as opposed to me, Spree, Larry and Patrick.”
“The back is a tricky thing, but I believe Patrick will be OK,” said Thomas.
Thomas, ejected from two games this season, is the Knicks’ second option on Mourning after Ewing. LJ also has guarded ‘Zo.
“You limit his touches and try to keep the ball out of his hands as much as possible,” Thomas said. “And you can’t get frustrated when he scores because he’s going to score.”
For the first time in this four-year playoff war, everyone was expecting the Knicks to roll over the Heat, but Ewing’s iffy back and Hardaway’s sudden good health will quell the sentiment.
During the week, Van Gundy was stunned the Knicks achieved this sort of favorite status for the Heat, who spent all but five days in sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division.
The first three years, the series between this blood rivals went the distance. Van Gundy sees no difference this time around.
Van Gundy said prophetically the other day: “It’s going to be a terrific series but for anyone to predict how these close teams will end up are foolhardy.”