After making a brief pit stop at Madison Square Garden following their six-game West Coast road trip, the Knicks get to pack their bags again for a Thanksgiving eve game Wednesday night in Charlotte. The second-year expansion team might have looked like easy pickings, except the Knicks will be without injured starting center Eddy Curry.

After playing a total of only 24 minutes in the past two games with a strained left calf, Curry underwent an MRI exam on Monday and was held out of practice Tuesday. He's listed as doubtful, but he admitted the goal is for him to be ready to play against Philadelphia Saturday at the Garden after four days of rest.

Curry said the medical staff will "re-evaluate it , and, hopefully, it's better ... We're still hopeful it's just a sprain and the swelling will go down, the discomfort will go down and I'll be able to come back Saturday."