SACRAMENTO – If Don Chaney could have done it over again, Charlie Ward would likely be on the active roster. Instead, the Knicks are without their productive backup point guard for four more games.
Hours after Ward (abdominal strain) was placed on the injured list Friday to make room for rookie point guard Frank Williams, he worked out on the court at the Arena in Oakland, then approached the Knick coach to tell him he’s “feeling better.” Too late. The roster move had already been made.
Chaney seemed ashen before Friday’s loss to Golden State and that appeared to be why. Afterward, Chaney said, “I have always felt you make the decision, you live with it. The decision was that Charlie was not going to be able play [for five games]. At the last minute, he had therapy and felt better. But you have to make a decision. You can’t go into a game without a point guard.”
However, the better solution would’ve been to keep Ward active and, to open up a roster slot for Williams, place 12th man Lavor Postell on the injured list.
“Had we known at shootaround we probably would’ve delayed it, but we didn’t know at shootaround,” Chaney said. “I have no regrets. Same circumstances again, I’d make the same decision.
“Charlie came to me saying he’s feeling better. I’m already writing names on the board [before the game]. The decision’s already been made. There’s nothing I can do about it. If he had come to me at shootaround, come to me earlier in the day, we would’ve thought about it and maybe made a different decision. The timing was not perfect.”
Ward was dearly missed on defense in the fourth quarter when Gilbert Arenas scored 14 points in the last seven minutes. Latrell Sprewell was moved to point guard late and he couldn’t handle Arenas’ explosions to the basket. The Knicks have allowed 99 points or more in nine of their last 10 and Ward’s arguably their toughest defender.
Now they have to live with Williams as the backup tonight against Sacramento (Mike Bibby/Bobby Jackson), Houston (Steve Francis) Tuesday, the Nets (Jason Kidd) Wednesday and Magic on Friday. Williams, in his first game since early December, played 13 minutes, had a nice second-quarter stint, going 2 of 3, before looking shaky early in the fourth, throwing the ball away twice.
Ward was in a cryptic mood Friday night. When reminded Gary Payton injured Ward in his final game as a Sonic, Ward deadpanned, “I know when my last game with the Knicks will be.” Ward has a $2M contract buyout after the season.