Posted at 7:58 a.m., Thursday, September 27, 2007
NBA: Knicks Balkman out at least 4 weeks with injury
Associated Press
NEW YORK — Forward Renaldo Balkman will miss at least four weeks because of a stress reaction in his right ankle, leaving the Knicks without a key reserve just days before the start of training camp.An MRI exam performed this week also revealed a small cartilage injury in the ankle, the team announced today. Balkman will be fitted for a walking boot and will be re-evaluated after resting for four weeks.
New York begins camp Tuesday and opens the regular season on Nov. 2 at Cleveland. Injuries helped ruin the Knicks' playoff hopes last season, as Jamal Crawford, David Lee and Quentin Richardson all missed significant time late in the season.
A surprising first-round pick out of South Carolina in the 2006 draft, Balkman averaged 4.9 points and 4.3 rebounds as a rookie. He played well on the Knicks' unbeaten summer league team in July, averaging 13.2 points.
