Marcus Camby to reportedly make Knicks season debut Friday vs Mavericks

Marcus Camby will reportedly make his season debut with the Knicks on Friday. (Joe Murphy/Getty Images)

Marcus Camby is expected to make his New York Knicks season debut on Friday when the team hosts the Dallas Mavericks, according to Al Iannazzone of Newsday.

Camby has yet to play a game during his second career stint with the Knicks. He sat out the preseason because of a strain in his left calf but is on target to participate in full-contact practices with the team on Wednesday and Thursday and the expectation is reportedly that he will play on Friday barring any other injuries or setbacks:

"You're not going to just throw him out there," Woodson said. "I like to see guys practice a little bit and just see how they feel once they've been banged around and hit the floor a few times. He hasn't had the chance to do that."

The return of Camby, who last played for the Knicks in 2002, means less pressure to play big minutes for center Tyson Chandler, and less minutes for the elder statesmen of the team, Kurt Thomas, the oldest player in the NBA, and Rasheed Wallace. Chandler, who is battling a host of health issues including strep throat and a bone bruise in his left knee, quantified his health at 75 percent on Nov. 5. His recent setbacks limited him to just 21 minutes in the Knicks' blowout win on the road against the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 4.