Ewing Status Is Doubtful

His right hand wrapped in a towel, a downcast Patrick Ewing confirmed Friday that, despite hopes he could return as soon as next week, he will not be back for the last four games of the regular season. And it now seems unlikely he would even be ready for the first round of the playoffs.

“Dr. [Norman] Scott has not given me clearance to play,” Ewing said. “I’m very disappointed and frustrated in the whole process. I have to do what he wants. There’s a possibility I could re-injure it and he’d have to fuse my wrist. I’m 70% and he wants me to be 100%. I feel I can play, but they don’t want to take the risk.”

Ewing said he had a small setback in his recovery a few weeks ago, and that he has not tested the wrist with hard contact. He is limiting himself to running and shooting.

“The range of motion is coming back,” Ewing said. “My shot feels good--not where it was--but it feels good. I can shoot it. I can’t shoot from deep, just from the top of the key in.”

Although Scott told him Wednesday that he would not be ready for the rest of the regular season, Ewing still expects to be on the playoff roster. But Coach Jeff Van Gundy, who had previously said he would put Ewing on the roster, sounded less sure.

“I don’t know,” Van Gundy said. “When I said that, I didn’t know there was a change [in his condition]. We’ll play it by ear.”

There was some good news for the Knicks. Buck Williams will return Sunday against Miami after sitting out seven weeks because of a left knee injury. Williams said he is about 80%. Van Gundy said Williams will not start at center.

“My intention was to come back from Day 1,” Williams said. “I didn’t want to end the season on an injury. I feel it’s strong enough to withstand game conditions.”

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Center Bryant Reeves of the Vancouver Grizzlies will sit out at least two games because of a deep bruise in his right knee.

Reeves, averaging nearly 22 points and 8.6 rebounds a game since the all-star break, was hurt when he collided with Laker point guard Derek Fisher late in the second quarter of Wednesday’s game at the Forum.