KANTER: I’LL PLAY THROUGH PAIN
Kanter wants to play through injured back
Maybe it was the pain medication talking, but center Enes Kanter vowed to play against the Trail Blazers on Monday, when the Knicks return home from their disastrous 0-2 trip south.
Kanter missed both losses with back spasms and still hasn’t recovered but wants to suit up anyhow if team doctors will allow it. The quirky old-school center is the antithesis of the modern-day NBA, in which it’s preferred players err on the side of caution.
“[Saturday] morning I was still having a hard time even walking,” Kanter said late Saturday night after the shorthanded Knicks blew a 22-point firstquarter lead in losing 117-102 to the Rockets. “But I think I’m going to try to play the next game Monday. I might not be 100 percent, but I’m going to try to play Monday. If they don’t give me the green light, I can’t do anything about it. But I want to play Monday for sure.”
Kanter’s value to the club showed in a horrifying loss to the NBA’s worst in Atlanta as the Knicks were beaten up on the boards.
On Saturday against the Rockets, Kristaps Porzingis joined Kanter on the sidelines with a stiff back, but the Latvian appeared to adhere to the new strategy of being conservative on the second night of back-to-backs if he is sore.
Kanter, on other hand, is grappling with an ailment he never has experienced in the NBA. The 25-year-old center from Turkey woke up the day after Thanksgiving in Atlanta unable to walk. When he lifted his shirt to reporters Friday night, his torso was bent at the waist — a sure sign he’s out of alignment.
Kanter’s been popping pills that are a lot stronger than Advil, saying he’s willing to take more if they can get him on the court.
“I’m already taking medication, and it still hurts when I walk,” Kanter said late Saturday before boarding the three-hour flight from Houston back to New York. “They’re pretty strong ones. I’m not going to make the decision. They’re going to make the decision. I’ll play with pain 95 percent of the season every season. If it’s not going to affect me in the long run, I’ll play. It don’t matter.”
Kanter, the central piece of the Carmelo Anthony trade, has been a godsend for team chemistry and has made a smooth tandem with Porzingis.
His fearlessness and offbeat character make him beloved by teammates as they raved about him sticking up for Frank Ntilikina at the Garden this month when he got in LeBron James’ face.
After the Atlanta debacle, Kanter blamed himself for not being healthy for his teammates “battling in a war.”
“I’m in the locker room crying like a little baby,” Kanter said Fri- day. “Especially games like this, thinking about the playoffs, we cannot lose. You’re thinking about who to blame. You guys can blame me. I’ll take the blame for tonight because I was back here like a little baby trying to get my back right, and my teammates are battling in a war, and I’m here like a crying baby.”
Kanter told The Post he underwent acupuncture during the trip. The team’s medical staff also performed adjustments — akin to a chiropractor.
“They’re doing a real good job taking care of my back, and I’ll see how I feel [Monday],” Kanter said. “It’s way better, but I won’t be 100 percent Monday, for sure.”
In Kanter’s absence, Kyle O’Quinn has started. He did exceptionally well against the Rockets with 20 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks. It also provided a chance for young center Willy Hernangomez to make a statement, but he was rusty in his 40 combined minutes and not active enough on defense.
If there were any doubt why O’Quinn earned the backup job to Kanter over Hernangomez, it was on display. The banishment from the rotation has put Hernangomez out of rhythm after his award-winning rookie year.
The absence of Kanter and Porzingis screamed for Joakim Noah to get his first action since January. But he didn’t make the trip because the Knicks said he had the flu. However, Noah could be of use Monday, even if Kanter dresses. marc.berman@nypost.com