At this point during his frustrating journey with a troublesome left knee, Kemba Walker won’t make predictions or promises about his availability for every Knicks game over the remainder of the season.
Walker was back in action Tuesday night and netted 19 points — all but two of them in the second half — in 30 minutes in the Knicks’ 112-110 loss to the Timberwolves at the Garden.
It was the first appearance for the four-time All-Star point guard since he appeared in both ends of back-to-back games Dec. 28-29 after not doing so at all last season with the Celtics.
The 31-year-old Walker said he “felt good” physically, even if he has learned to take a small-view approach to the team’s remaining schedule.
“We’ll see. We’ll see down the line,” Walker said after the game Tuesday. “It really just depends on how I feel. I know I played the back-to-back, I just felt good enough to play. But yeah, just going off how I feel.”
Walker added that he doesn’t believe the heavy minutes he logged in six December games, following a nine-game benching, led to his most-recent shutdown, which began Dec. 31 in Oklahoma City.
“It was particular to that night,” Walker said. “It just happened during my warm-up, just a weird step, I guess. I don’t know.”
Coach Tom Thibodeau said this week the Knicks don’t “want a situation where it’s on-off, on-off” with Walker’s availability, hence the patience with his 20-day absence.
The Knicks signed former Villanova star Ryan Arcidiacono to another 10-day contract and released injured veteran Solomon Hill.
Arcidiacono had been released from a previous 10-day deal on Jan. 13 to create a roster spot following the acquisition of Cam Reddish and Hill from the Hawks. Hill, who is on a $2.4 million expiring contract, is out for the season with a torn hamstring.
Arcidiacono (ankle), Reddish (ankle) and Nerlens Noel (knee) have been ruled out for the game Thursday against the Pelicans.
Zion Williamson (foot) is still out and Devonte Graham (ankle) is questionable for New Orleans.