Camby Takes It Easy in Return to Knicks

Marcus Camby won’t rush his return to the New York Knicks after being told by a team doctor Saturday that he no longer needs to wear a protective boot on his sore left foot.

Camby has not played this season except for six minutes of one exhibition game. The Knicks fell to 2-5 with their loss to Golden State.

Camby is eligible to come off the injured list, but he did not make it sound as though he’ll be activated anytime soon.

“This time I want to take it slow, not like last time when I jumped in there and went through the whole practice and stuff,” Camby said. “So it’s going to be a slow process. I’m not going to put a timetable on it.”

Camby shot a few jumpers before the game but did not run. He has not practiced in almost a month, twice being told to wear a walking boot.

*

Tim Floyd and Charles Oakley seem to have called a truce.

While the Chicago Bull power forward said the $50,000 fine the team levied at him for criticizing Floyd was unwarranted and he might appeal it, a conciliatory gesture made by Oakley during Saturday night’s game against Charlotte might have stopped an escalating war of words.

Oakley was set to re-enter the game in the fourth quarter, but he encouraged Floyd to leave second-year forward Marcus Fizer in.

“I thought it was a big gesture on his part,” Floyd said.

*

The Miami Heat activated forward Chris Gatling and put Kendall Gill on the injured list with a broken little finger. Gatling, acquired by Miami in a three-team deal involving Cleveland and Toronto on Oct. 26, sat out five games because of conditioning.

*

The Detroit Pistons activated guard Damon Jones and put forward-center Victor Alexander on the injured list.