Allan

Houston

Fat chance. Houston was limited to 50 games last season as he struggled through the aftereffects of microfracture surgery on his right knee. He’s still not 100 percent, which is a big reason why the Knicks went so hard after Jamal Crawford this summer.

Coach Lenny Wilkens planned to meet with Houston today to see when he may be ready to scrimmage. The shooting guard is looking doubtful for the regular-season opener.

Houston is expected to begin the season on the injured list. He might return from knee surgery before the end of November.

He’s not going to start tonight -- coach Lenny Wilkens is expected to stick with the lineup he’s used all season, but Wilkens did say Houston will regain his starting job when he’s “100 percent.” That may never happen, so...

Coach Lenny Wilkens is already talking about starting a small lineup that would include Houston, Jamal Crawford and Stephon Marbury, sending Tim Thomas to the bench. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, as Houston is not back yet.

The Knicks miss Houston’s jump shooting, but it’s hard to imagine him being anything but a reserve now. Jamal Crawford and Stephon Marbury have the starting jobs locked down, and Penny Hardaway is a capable third guard. Houston’s always been one-dimensional, and now his injuries should keep him in a bench shooter’s role.

Houston mentioned it could be as much as two weeks before he rejoins his teammates, but he’s done speculating or worrying about return dates for now. It’s doubtful we’ll see the same from the NY papers, meaning you’ll continue to get a daily Houston update, like it or not.

Houston said it’s very possible he’ll scrimmage tomorrow for first time and has said he’ll need two or three scrimmages before suiting up. The Knicks will have practices tomorrow, Sunday and Monday. We still don’t recommend him as anything more than a reserve.

That could put him back on either the last day of November or first day of December.

Houston said he could get something out of the shootarounds and work out in the interim. Expect him around the middle of the month, when his primary value will be spelling Jamal Crawford if Crawford goes on another 7-for-28 cold spell like he did Tuesday.