No timetable for Hardaway return

The Knicks still have no definitive timetable on Tim Hardaway Jr.’s complicated “stress injury” after his “reevaluation.’’

The club announced that “based on his progress,” Hardaway will step up his rehab and courtwork and be reevaluated again in another week. He already has missed the past 16 days with the injury to his lower left leg.

As a result, the Knicks will be without their second-leading scorer as they enter the rugged part of their schedule. At minimum, it will be one more week before Hardaway is even cleared for practice. Once allowed to practice, it likely will take him time to get back into game shape.

Hardaway likely has a stress reaction in his tibia or fibula, which is inflammation of the bone and can lead to a stress fracture if played on.

Last week, Hardaway called it “a serious injury” and said he wouldn’t “rush back.’’ He underwent a bone scan to see if the inflammation had gone down.

Hardaway has missed nine games, with the club 5-4 in his absence. But for four of those nine games, the Knicks also were without Kristaps Porzingis.

“The medical staff has determined that based on his progress, he will advance his rehabilitation and court work,’’ the Knicks said in a statement. “He will be re- evaluated next week.’’

Hardaway started what the club branded as “light shooting’’ with a brace on Monday in Charlotte. He said he’s not permitted to jump. “I can do stuff as long as it’s with the brace on,’’ Hardaway said.

“I’m just expecting whatever, whatever the X-rays or the things they do to test me, however they go,’’ Hardaway said Monday night. “I’m not going to get too high or low. Because if I get too high, I’ll get discouraged. It’s whatever the doctors tell me [Tuesday], I’m 100 percent all in.”

The Knicks got lucky that the bulk of Hardaway’s injury occurred during a soft patch in their schedule. Their past seven games have come against teams with non-winning records.

Now that changes. This week Hardaway will miss a tough backto-back, first against the Eastern Conference superpower Celtics at the Garden on Thursday, then against the Pistons in Detroit on Friday.

Despite Hardaway’s extended absence, the Knicks record stands at 16-14, but they have played nine more games at home than on the road. After the back-to-back, they host the improved Sixers on Christmas Day. After that, it’s goodbye Garden.

Following their holiday matinee, they begin a stretch of 16of-20 contests away from home. The Knicks are 2-9 on the road this season, including Monday’s blowout defeat against the awful Hornets.

Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said he’s looking at tinkering with things during road games, suggesting cancelling road shootarounds or changing lineups at halftime.

Meanwhile, the Knicks are trying to stay afloat without Hardaway. Lance Thomas has started the majority of games in Hardaway’s place, but he doesn’t provide the offensive spark their 2013 first-round pick does.

Hardaway’s second stint with the Knicks had been going swimmingly after shaking off the pressure of signing a four-year, $71 million deal.

For his first time in the role of full-time starter, Hardaway is averaging 34 minutes while playing through a series of injuries to his foot, ankle and calf. In the Knicks’ first 21 games, he averaged 17.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists.

Now the mystery of Hardaway’s return continues on as the easy part of the schedule ends.