Allan Houston will consider surgery on his ailing left knee this summer only as a last resort, though some medical experts believe his persistent pain is a sign he needs a second arthroscopic procedure.
Houston is expected to miss the Lincoln Tunnel Series, though Tim Thomas' injury could motivate him to rethink his decision. Yesterday, Houston, who dressed but did not play, talked about possibly being used as a free-throw specialist late in a close game.

The Knicks guard underwent microfracture surgery last June to stimulate cartilage growth in the knee. Dr. Howard Luks, a knee cartilage expert at Westchester Medical Center, recently told The Post that Houston's lingering pain is due to an insufficient amount of strong cartilage having grown back. Dr. Luks, who has never viewed Houston's X-rays, said the symptoms usually calls for another microfracture surgery to stimulate more cartilage growth.

Houston will not yet consider that option, as he's under a counter-program to strengthen parts around the knee. "I'm doing what I'm doing to prevent [surgery]," Houston said. "If I were going to go out and do something drastic like having surgery, I don't think it will help. After a while, surgery causes changes that you don't really want. What I'm trying to do is do the things to allow the body to heal. The misconception is it can't heal but it can. That's what I'm doing."