Derrick Rose missed a regular-season game for the first time as a Knick Wednesday night, because of back spasms, and was sent to take an MRI exam to rule out any serious injury.
The Knicks announced during their 126-94 blowout loss to the Cavaliers the MRI had come out clean, Rose’s back is structurally fine and he will fly with the team to Sacramento on Thursday as the Knicks start a five-game Western trip.
Nevertheless, it’s unclear if he will be in the lineup Friday against the Kings, because coach Jeff Hornacek said Rose’s back is still “pretty sore.’’
The Knicks missed Rose against Cleveland. Brandon Jennings started against the defending champions and couldn’t pull his weight in the blowout.
“It’s a good thing it’s nothing major with it — just normal wear and tear, bumps and bruises,’’ Hornacek said after the MRI exam results came in. “[Rose] took a couple of falls [Tuesday night] when we looked at the tape.’’
The Knicks had played six of their seven preseason games without Rose, who was away at his civil sexual assault trial. But on Wednesday, the Cavs were on a mission and the Knicks discovered how vulnerable they can be without one of their so-called Big 3.
It’s the first regular-season game one of the trio — Rose, Kristaps Porzingis and Carmelo Anthony — had missed this season.
Rose left Tuesday’s win over the Heat during the third quarter after pulling up lame on a layup attempt. Afterward, he said he had a tight feeling in his right side — and felt pain all the way to his groin.
Rose’s knees have stayed healthy across the first 21 games, and he has shown his former explosiveness. Rose said he had back spasms for several weeks in 2012 while he was with the Bulls.
LeBron James went through with his threat to not stay with the team at Trump SoHo, and spent the night at a nearby hotel.
James made campaign appearances for Hillary Clinton.
“I’m not trying to make a statement,” James told reporters regarding President-elect Donald Trump at the Cavs’ morning shootaround at the Garden. “It’s just my personal preference. At the end of the day, I hope he’s one of the best presidents ever, for all of our sakes — my family, for all of us. It’s just my personal preference. It would be the same if I went to a restaurant and decided to eat chicken or not steak.”
James stayed at a hotel close enough, so he could take the team bus to the shootaround at the Garden, where Trump has sat on celebrity row multiple times. He also attended a boxing event there last year.