Knicks on road trip to London — and they’re happy for the rest

For the past couple weeks, the Knicks have not looked anything like the early season team that could be a threat to the Heat. New York is 4-6 in its last 10 games. Both the offense and defense have taken steps back in that time (both are a few points per possession off their season averages). Part of it is just injuries — Raymond Felton, Rasheed Wallace, Marcus Camby and more have been out or banged up.

Which is why the Knicks are loving this week.

They play in an NBA showcase game against the Detroit Pistons in London at the O2 Arena on Thursday (3 p.m. Eastern time).

And that’s it. They played Sunday, flew out to London Monday and have just the one game until next Monday.

Right now this almost bye week is just what they need, players and coach Mike Woodson told the Associated Press.

“I think the NBA did a great job with the way they scheduled it, getting us over there three days early, give us a chance to get acclimated to London, and then coming back having some days off as well,” Knicks All-Star Carmelo Anthony said. “So this is a big week for us as far as getting our bodies right and taking care of the things we’ve got to take care of.”

“With our team, we could use some of these days because it’s been every other day, or you might have a day, and then you’ve got another game, so I mean we’ve been kind of going at it a little bit,” coach Mike Woodson said.

This isn’t the first time the NBA has taken a regular season game to London, the Raptors and Nets played a pair there a couple years ago. Last season all overseas games, even preseason, were cancelled thanks to the lockout. But after the London Olympics where basketball was a big draw, the NBA wanted to get back soon.

And the Knicks are good with that. The timing is perfect for a little mid-season vacation.