Austin Rivers has been limited in practice this week and Wednesday was held out as he continued to try to make his way through a groin injury — a shutdown that will almost certainly mean the Knicks will be without him Friday when they open the preseason schedule in Detroit.
"I think it puts you behind, but you also want to be smart about it," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. "Pulls and strains I think you’ve got to be careful with. When he’s healthy and ready to go he’ll go. Right now it gives us a chance to evaluate some other guys and when he’s healthy enough he’ll get going.