Knicks without Hardaway, Thomas

NEW YORK -- New York Knicks center Kurt Thomas did not play Monday night against the San Antonio Spurs due to an infected left elbow, and guard Penny Hardaway was placed on the injured list with a sore right hamstring.

Malik Rose replaced Thomas in the starting lineup, getting his first start for the Knicks against the team that traded him to New York last month in a deal that sent Nazr Mohammed to San Antonio.

Thomas, averaging 11.8 points and 10.3 rebounds, missed a game for the first time this season and only the sixth time over the past seven seasons. Thomas has bursitis in his left elbow, and an infection has developed.

"When Kurt can't play, it's got to be bad," Knicks coach Herb Williams said.

Hardaway, a backup shooting guard averaging 7.3 points and 2.0 assists, has missed 28 games this season. Hardaway plans to see an acupuncturist, but will not travel to Memphis for treatment as he did when he was injured earlier this season.

"My right ankle might be causing all this because it has no movement in it," Hardaway said. "This thing just keeps nagging and won't go away."

With Hardaway on the injured list, the Knicks activated center Jackie Butler, a 20-year-old signed out of the CBA late last month. Williams said Butler, who has never appeared in an NBA game, would play behind seldom used Bruno Sundov in the rotation.

Asked if he had spoken to Allan Houston about possibly replacing Hardaway on the active roster, Williams laughed. "Allan Houston? No, I haven't. I'm not sure where he is in his progress."

Houston, on the injured list since Jan. 28 with chronic knee soreness, has played in only 20 games all season.