"The Knicks had hoped to get Baron Davis on the court on their current four-game road trip. But he hasn't looked good enough during scrimmages for that to happen.

Coach Mike D'Antoni, whose team lost to the Heat 99-89 last night, said it was unlikely Davis will make his Knicks debut tonight in Houston, though he has had no setbacks. Tuesday at the Garden against the Pistons would be the most likely date for Davis to return. The Knicks had wanted to start Davis during this trip in a less-pressurized environment but as of yesterday, the point guard didn't have his game back.

"He doesn't have a pop yet,'' D'Antoni said. "We'll wait until he can be NBA ready. He's not quite there yet.''

That D'Antoni used the word "pop'' as opposed to rustiness could be a bad sign. At age 33 and after suffering from herniated discs, Davis may never actually regain that "pop," which the Knicks need from their point guard in the coach's speedball system.

But then again, Davis doesn't have to be the same Davis even from last year to be an upgrade.

"He is not in NBA game shape and he is not having the pop,'' D'Antoni said. "He is going to have to get it back a little bit and we don't know when that comes. Hopefully sooner than later.''"