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Knicks Forced To Make Due Without Calderon For Next 2-3 Weeks

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Coming off a bad loss to start the season, the Knicks were dealt another setback on Thursday.

The team announced point guard Jose Calderon will miss the next two to three weeks after an MRI revealed a strained right calf.

Shane Larkin started in Calderon's place during the season opener against Chicago on Wednesday and finished with six points, three assists and zero turnovers in 26 minutes. The Bulls cruised to an easy 104-80 victory.

According to head coach Derek Fisher, Calderon, an 11-year veteran the Knicks acquired in an offseason trade with Dallas, felt "discomfort in his pregame workout," which led to him being scratched.

"We didn't feel like it was smart to have him play in this game and try to reevaluate and reassess where he is," Fisher said Wednesday night. "He'd been feeling good the last couple days and leading up to (the opener), we'd scrimmaged a little bit (Tuesday), the day before, he'd done quite a bit. And so that obviously changes things when you're starting point guard goes out an hour or so before the game. But that wasn't the reason why we didn't win (against the Bulls). It's a team game and we still have to figure out what we need to do as a team to put ourselves in position to win."

As a result, Larkin, whose start Wednesday was the first of his NBA career, will be charged with guiding the Knicks through a transitional stage as they continue to try to come to grips with the newly installed triangle offense.

The Knicks will be right back out on the court Thursday as they travel to Cleveland for LeBron James' first game of his second tour with the Cavaliers.

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