Knicks Rumors: Baron Davis' Anticipated Return Couldn't Come at a Better Time
Baron Davis is almost ready to return from his back injury and his debut in New York couldn't come at a better time.
Davis could play as early as this week, giving him just over two months to get acclimated to his new team before the playoffs begin. The timing is perfect, as Amar'e Stoudemire is finally healthy, Carmelo Anthony should be back shortly and the signing of explosive scorer J.R. Smith was just announced.
With the emergence of Jeremy Lin, Davis will be relegated to a bench role and although he's started almost 85 percent of his NBA games, I'm expecting him to thrive as a backup.
Davis shines when the spotlight is on and with what's brewing at MSG right now, he should be ecstatic. I'm expecting 2007 BD to show up and quickly remind everyone why he, not Lin, was the point guard the Knicks were thrilled to bring in last offseason. He'll throw some sick alley-oops, attack the rim and play with the swagger that made him a fan favorite in Golden State.
I'm also expecting him to mesh beautifully with Smith. They both have flashy games that get better when they have the support of a rabid fanbase.
Although Smith carries a lot of baggage (he has quite an extensive arrest record), he is still one of the most lethal scorers on the planet. By combining him with Davis, New York now boasts the best second-string backcourt in the NBA.
They'll give the Knicks a major scoring punch off the bench, connect on some mind-blowing highlight plays and provide Mike D'Antoni with more than enough options offensively. If Smith's lucky, Baron might even give him some fashion tips as well.
With just over half the season left, Davis is returning at the perfect time. D'Antoni will have plenty of time to tinker with his new rotation before the games that truly matter begin.
In the lockout shortened season of 1998, the Knicks made a surprising run to the NBA Finals. With a new arsenal of quality players and enough time to gel before the playoffs start, don't be shocked if these new-look Knickerbockers pull off a similar run.
