The Knicks Fix

Please don't take a turn to negative town. - Vince Vaughn, in Wedding Crashers.

Oh but it's just too easy...

Steve Francis wasn't on the team charter from New York to Dallas this afternoon. I was told by someone close to Francis that he suffered a high ankle sprain in his right leg when he went down in the first quarter Wednesday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Knicks said X-rays taken during the game were negative for any serious damage. After today's practice, the Knicks weren't saying anything more than what they said last night, which was that he has an ankle sprain. They are not giving a timeframe.

But considering its the same leg that has had the tendinitis in his knee -- and not to mention Isiah Thomas' loss of patience for the dribble-happy veteran who has publicly complained about his playing time -- it's hard to imagine we'll see Francis in a Knicks uniform again.

Of course we thought this in January, when he left for a six week hiatus in Houston to rehab his knee. Then again, a few weeks ago, when on Feb. 26 he announced that his knee hurt too much to play. Five days later, after Jamal Crawford was lost for the season, Francis came back and dropped 26 on Atlanta. He also nailed that game-winning three against Washington that might prove to have changed the course of the Knicks future. James Dolan handed Thomas the contract extension off that win.

So, what we really should say here is either Francis is done for sure and headed for an off-season buyout that both sides will welcome, or he'll go for 30 points next Monday against Detroit and lead the Knicks to a playoff berth, thus earning Thomas perhaps another extension on top of the aforementioned extension.

I give up.

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By the way, you know how I'm always going on about the doom-and-gloom weather we seem to bring with us to any warm-weather city? Well, here in Dallas? Severe thunderstorms. Possible hail, which leads to you know what.

Any day now the locusts will be coming.

Locusts, I tell ya!

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Heads up, Francis wasn't the only player to hurt his ankle last night. Dirk Nowitzki didn't play in the second half against Milwaukee because he twisted his ankle. He didn't practice today and right now the Dallas Mavericks are saying he will be re-evaluated tomorrow before the game against the Knicks. If he doesn't play, that would be a huge break for the Knicks.