Marbury leaves with injured toe, return questionable

 

NEW YORK (AP) -Guard Stephon Marbury left New York’s game against Minnesota in the first half Friday night with an injured toe, the latest blow for the short-handed Knicks.
Marbury came out of the game early in the second quarter and the Knicks said he was questionable to return because of right turf toe. The point guard didn’t even take the court for second-half warmups, though he did grab a seat on the bench as the third quarter began. He re-entered in the final seconds of the game after the Knicks rallied before falling 99-94.
“If he was open I told him to shoot the basketball,” Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said. “But he wasn’t open.”
Marbury said he would wait until Saturday before determining if he would play in the Knicks’ game at Milwaukee.
The Knicks were barely hanging on in the Eastern Conference playoff race while playing without Jamal Crawford and Steve Francis, out with ankle injuries, and Quentin Richardson (back surgery). Sixth man David Lee returned Friday night after missing nearly the entire second half of the season with a right leg injury.
Marbury has been the Knicks’ best player during that span, averaging 23.1 points in March before scoring 30 in a loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday night. He has missed only one game this season despite battling knee and toe injuries.