The Knicks don’t believe it. They don’t believe Miami starting point guard Tim Hardaway won’t be ready Sunday for the 12:30 p.m. second-round tipoff, although it’s looking that way.
Hardaway (sprained foot) practiced only on a limited basis yesterday and is not doing any running. If he plays, he’ll be moving about the court very gingerly, as Patrick Ewing did last spring.
“We’re preparing like he’s going to play,” Jeff Van Gundy said. “They played very well with him and they played very well without him. We’ll prepare for both players. We expect him to be there and play well.”
The Knicks won’t admit it but they become clear-cut favorites if Hardaway is gone for the series. Rookie Anthony Carter would start in Hardaway’s place. He’s a nice penetrator but can’t shoot a lick, although he guided the Heat to a three-game first-round sweep of the Pistons.
“The point guards are different – Hardaway is great and has been for a long time,” Van Gundy said. “Carter has played extremely well this year. What I’ve seen from [Carter] as a player, he’s a high-assist guy. He creates shots for the guys and drives the ball extremely hard and is absolutely a tenacious defender.”
Still, Hardaway’s brilliance – last displayed with his miracle three that beat the Knicks at the buzzer April 9 – would be missed. Hardaway was out 30 games in the regular season with a sore knee. Including playoffs, the Heat are 20-13 without him.
“I expect him to play but it’s not my call,” point guard Chris Childs said. “So we’ll prepare for both. People have been knocking him all year. He’s still one of the best point guards in the league. He’s not as quick but he’s smarter. He’s a better all-around player than he was before. And, as you know, he can hit the big shot.”
Yeah, Childs knows better than anyone. He was the one on Hardaway like a coat when he drilled the winning 3-pointer last month to all but clinch the Atlantic Division title.
“He doesn’t have the explosiveness he once had but he sure does have the touch,” Latrell Sprewell said.
Sprewell and Hardaway were Golden State teammates last millennium and has seen it all from “Tiny Tim.”
“The one thing he’s not as good at is getting to the hole and finishing,” Sprewell said. “When I was at Golden State, he did that and nobody could stop him from getting there. I’m anticipating close games and if he’s on the floor, he’s the one guy not scared to take the three two or three steps behind the 3-point line.”
Van Gundy was not surprised to hear Miami coach Pat Riley put the lid on Hardaway injury-update news. After all, Van Gundy probably would play the same silly game if Spree were questionable.
“That’s smart,” Van Gundy said. “We’re going to prepare as if he plays and also for both guys. So it’s not going to be like we’re guessing.”
Regarding the pessimistic view in Heat camp – Riley says he’s preparing as if Hardaway’s out – Van Gundy said, “I don’t buy it.”
“You never breathe a sigh of relief because when guys aren’t able to play, other guys step up,” Childs said. “You never put anything past that team.”